Renowned Ghanaian investigative journalist and author, Manasseh Azure Awuni, has revealed that the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) contract was crafted in a manner that mirrored contents in the infamous “Agyapadie document,” to defraud the nation.
The alleged Agyapadie document is believed to expose a grand scheme by certain members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to capture state assets for their benefit.
In an interview with Bernard Avle on The Point of View on Channel One TV, Manasseh described the SML contract as the “mother of all scandals,” warning that it would have inflicted immense harm on the country if left unchecked.
He explained that SML was strategically positioned to tap into various revenue streams, particularly in the petroleum sector, to generate substantial income.
“SML is just like the Agyapadie document. I said in this book that when I saw the document, I concluded from day one that this was a propaganda document written by somebody who is mischievously meticulous. So, I dismissed it, but what gives that document credibility is how persons close to Akufo-Addo [President] have behaved.
“If you set up a scheme that said every litre of fuel anybody consumes in this country every single day, a percentage should go to SML. Every ounce of gold we mine in this country, a percentage should go to SML. For every barrel of oil we produce as a country, a percentage should go to SML, and then you go to the port and the company is there, claiming to be doing whatever price verification, which the Ghana Revenue Authority was doing.
“I have investigated corruption cases …if you are looking for a single scandal that would really have hurt Ghana so much it is [the SML]. We’re looking at about $110 million every single year going to SML… They just plugged SML into where revenue is assured, they just plugged it in there quietly, go and sit back and enjoy so much. And that for me is very obscene.”
Background
The Fourth Estate released an investigative piece in December 2023 indicting SML, the GRA, and the Ministry of Finance. Fourth Estate accused GRA of awarding SML a 10-year contract that accrues SML $100 million annually. It also raised concerns about alleged underhand dealings.
SML, after the report was released, debunked claims of being awarded a 10-year contract duration, insisting that it has been given a 5-year contract instead.
SML further dispelled claims that it takes $100 million annually from its contract.
President Akufo-Addo commissioned KPMG on January 2 to audit the contract between the GRA and SML.
Following the submission of its report to the president, KPMG revealed that SML received a total of GH¢1,061,054,778.00 from 2018 to the present.
The report indicated that SML was paid GH¢454,860,396.27 (gross) for transaction audit and external price verification payments and GH¢945,342,007.29 (gross) for downstream petroleum measurement payments.
On June 12, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) directed the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) to resume its monitoring operations of the Downstream Petroleum sector effective June 14, 2024.
In a statement to SML, the revenue authority noted that the directive followed President Akufo-Addo’s directives on the KPMG report.
The contract with SML was intended to leverage advanced technological solutions to streamline tax collection processes, reduce leakages, and increase overall efficiency in the operations of GRA.
