GRA/SML Deal: KPMG's Audit Is Deception, Akufo-Addo Has Flown GRA Boss Out Of The Country - Ablakwa

-
(Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa)

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu Member of Parliament, has expressed grave concerns regarding the effectiveness of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's choice to assign KPMG to carry out an audit of the transaction between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilization Ghana Ltd (SML), characterizing it as nothing more than a facade.

Related To This: GRA/SML Deal: SML Welcomes Audit Order, Says It Will Confirm Legitimacy Contract

Ablakwa challenged the investigation in a post on X, noting that KPMG only has six days to submit its findings and recommendations to the President. She claimed that the investigation doesn't seem to be having a significant impact.

Furthermore, according to Ablakwa, less than 24 hours after President Akufo-Addo announced the investigation, the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, who had signed the SML contract, left the country with his whole nuclear family. The aforementioned claims highlight the heightened level of controversy surrounding the current investigative procedure, raising doubts about the reliability and integrity of both the designated auditors and the relevant authorities.

The transaction, initially established to enhance revenue assurance in various sectors including downstream petroleum, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resources, has garnered significant attention due to contested claims regarding the contract's duration and financial terms. SML's assertion of being awarded a 5-year contract, contrary to claims of a 10-year duration, has further fueled the controversy, with the company also challenging allegations related to its financial benefits under the contract.

Related To This: GRA/SML Deal: Akufo-Addo's Audit Order Is A Camouflage - Minority Leader

The Finance Committee of Parliament, in response to the escalating concerns, recommended the suspension of all payments under the government's contract with SML from 2024, pending a thorough probe into the specifics of the agreement. The committee underscored the necessity for Parliamentary approval and emphasized the need for GRA's adherence to statutory requirements under the Financial Management Act.

The ongoing scrutiny of the GRA-SML contract has prompted a wave of allegations and counterclaims, escalating into a complex legal and financial conundrum with potential far-reaching implications. Ablakwa's critical commentary reflects the growing skepticism surrounding the transparency and efficacy of the ongoing investigative process, marking a new phase of heightened scrutiny and intense speculation around the contentious contract and its associated implications for Ghana's economic governance. governance.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

GJA Calls For Media Blacklist on Yendi MP for Allegedly Assaulting Journalist

-
Image
In response to allegations of assault against Mohammed Aminu M. Alabira, the Northern Regional Correspondent for Citi TV, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called for a national media boycott of Farouk Aliu Mahama, the Member of Parliament for Yendi. Important industry actors have endorsed the GJA's directive: the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA). Related To This: Hawa Koomson Threatens to Sue GJA President Over Assault Allegations The coalition asked all media outlets to uphold Farouk Aliu Mahama's blacklisting till further notice during a joint press conference on Tuesday, February 6. The media professionals were put at serious risk due to the MP's purported connections to those who could potentially pose a threat to journalists. The groups emphasized, "All media houses must refrain from providing any coverage, interviews, or a
Read more

Taxes Now Serve as Punishment to Businesses - Mark Badu-Aboagye

-
Image
The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry's CEO, Mark Badu-Aboagye, has expressed grave concerns about the growing burden of direct and indirect taxes placed on the country's enterprises.  During an open discussion on JoyNews' PM Express, Mr. Badu-Aboagye brought attention to the mounting difficulties that businesses are facing in light of rising expenses and financial commitments, especially with regard to tax responsibilities. Related To This: Akufo-Addo's Imposed Tax Policies Will Make The Next President Suffer - Franklin Cudjoe Mr. Badu-Aboagye expressed his dismay and emphasized the unsettling consequences of the existing tax structure, describing it as harsh and onerous for companies aiming for expansion and sustainability.  He underlined, saying, "I believe that rather than helping businesses, our taxes now serve as a punishment to them. This is because they expect you to pay, but we are unable to. They are beating us but they are telling us to keep quiet.&
Read more

Use Emission Tax Funds to Support EPA - Professor Kofi Amegah

-
Image
The University of Cape Coast's renowned environmental and nutritional epidemiology lecturer, Professor Kofi Amegah, has suggested that money from emission levies be used to support environmental protection organizations.  During his February 1 appearance on The Pulse on JoyNews, Professor Amegah emphasized how vital it is to improve the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) capacity to efficiently track pollution levels and strengthen environmental conservation measures. Related To This: Implementation of Emissions Levy Act Commences Today Professor Amegah emphasized the need to reallocate a portion of the proceeds from the emission tax in order to relieve the EPA's budgetary constraints, given its limited resources. He highlighted that such support would enable the acquisition of reference-based monitors, which, when installed in urban areas, can furnish essential data vital for formulating effective air pollution control policies. Additionally, the resulting data would
Read more