President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s call for an audit into the contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), according to Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, will not deter Parliament from carrying out its probe into the matter.
The Leader of the Minority says the President’s action came late and it is an attempt to cover-up the alleged fraud contained in the contract.
In a post on Facebook Tuesday, January 02, 2024, Dr. Forson who is also the Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam in the Central region stressed the Minority’s determination to remain vigilant in uncovering the details in the contract.
He said those involved in the rot in the contract, if found culpable after the probe, would all be held accountable for their actions.
“The President, who should have led this fight in the wake of this scandal, is playing catch-up since Parliament has also directed GRA to suspend all payments to SML.
“This whitewashing attempt by the President in the name of an audit will not dissuade Parliament from looking into this matter to stop the siphoning of state resources into the private pockets of government officials and their crony business partners,” the post contained.
His comments come on the back of President Akufo-Addo’s directive to KPMG to investigate the contract which according to a Manasseh Azure-led investigation by the Fourth Estate found it fraudulent.
The president has ordered KPMG to audit the contract in a space of two weeks.
“Accordingly, KPMG, an Audit, Tax and Advisory Services firm, has been appointed to conduct an audit into the transaction, which was entered into to enhance revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, the upstream petroleum production and minerals and metals resources value chain,” a press release dated Tuesday, January 02, 2024 and signed by the Director of Communication at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, stated in some parts.
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