MFWA requests full KPMG report on GRA/SML contract from Presidency

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has filed a Right to Information (RTI) request to the presidency demanding the full report of KPMG’s audit into the revenue assurance contract between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The MFWA’s request follows a statement released by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, on April 24, 2024, on the president’s decision on the KPMG enquiry.

The RTI request, signed by the Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, stated that: “This request is made by my rights as outlined in Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and Section 18 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).”

The request is specifically for “a copy of the full KPMG Audit Report on the revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) as commissioned by His Excellency the President and which report formed the basis of the recent directives by the President on the said contract.”

President Nana Akufo-Addo had directed KPMG to audit the GRA/SML deal in January 2024, following The Fourth Estate’s exposé on the questionable revenue assurance contract.

As contained in a statement released by the office of the President, the KPMG audit report revealed that despite disapproval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), the GRA went ahead to sign a contract with SML.

“On three occasions, the GRA sought approval from PPA to use the single source procurement method to engage SML to provide transaction audit services. PPA did not grant approval,” the presidency said in a statement on April 24, 2024, almost four months after The Fourth Estate’s exposé.

According to section 33 of the Public Financial Management Act 2016, Act 921, multiyear contracts such as SML’s “must have ministerial and parliamentary approval.” Despite this legal requirement, the statement from the office of the President stated that the GRA did not receive parliamentary approval for any of the contracts signed in 2018, 2019 and 2023 nor did it have any approval from its Board for the contracts, contrary to the GRA act.

“I am quite confident that the Office of the President respects the laws of our country and will, therefore, not hesitate in complying with the RTI law by releasing the full KPMG audit report as requested, within the stipulated 14-day period,” Mr Braimah said.

President Akufo-Addo has instructed the GRA and the Ministry of Finance to renegotiate the downstream revenue assurance contract with SML.