NDC accuses Akufo-Addo of attempting to cover up corruption in KPMG report on SML deal

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Mahamudu Bawumia government of attempted cover-up of corruption and criminality in the raging SML matter.

The Presidency last week released a report detailing the president’s directives on recommendations of a yet-to-be-published KPMG investigation.

Whereas the report identified breaches of several laws involving contracts between the Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority on the one hand, and SML; the NDC says the president fell short of calling for the cancellation of these agreements.

Addressing a Moment of Truth press conference at its Adabraka head office on Monday, April 29, 2024; the National Communication Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi stated that all the transactions that were carried out by SML under its transaction audit, downstream petroleum and external price verification contracts are illegal, null and void and of no legal effect.

The party argues that these single-sourced contracts did not receive the approval of the GRA board, nor Parliamentary approval as multi-year contracts as required under section 33 of the Public Financial Management Act. This, the party says renders all payments to SML illegal and a financial loss to the state.

The communication from the Presidency appears to embrace findings by KPMG that the services rendered by SML have helped to save the country some GH₵3 billion.

The report further notes that the State has benefited from the downstream petroleum audit services of SML due to an increase in petroleum volumes by 1.7 billion litres and tax revenue to the State to the tune of GH₵2.45 billion.

The NDC finds these claims by the government as an attempt at grand cover-up of the sins of persons behind the scandal, since no evidence points to any work done by SML.

The NDC reiterated a recent promise by its flagbearer and leader, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, to abrogate the illegal contracts between the Government of Ghana and SML, should the party win the 2024 general elections.

The party says it will launch credible and transparent investigations to retrieve all illegal payments made to SML and prosecute all persons who are complicit in these illegal transactions.