The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr., has boldly asserted that the recent controversy surrounding the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) stands out as the most significant scandal during the current government’s tenure
Drawing parallels with historical gravity, Pratt likened it to the “mother of all scandals” within the past six to seven years.
This revelation comes on the heels of a thorough investigation conducted by The Fourth Estate, an Accra-based media house, entitled “The GHe3 Billion Lie.” The exposé accused the Ministry of Finance of allegedly granting a $100 million contract to SML.
The contract was purportedly for monitoring Upstream Petroleum Production and auditing the value chain of Minerals and Metals Resources.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, both the GRA and SML have taken a stance, asserting the validity and propriety of the agreements binding the two entities.
The controversy has triggered heightened scrutiny and discussions within Ghana’s media landscape, fueling concerns about transparency and accountability.
A particular point of contention raised by Pratt revolves around the perceived conflict of interest involving the managing director of SML, who had previously served as a technical advisor to the GRA commissioner.
This element adds a layer of complexity to the unfolding scandal, prompting further questions about ethical considerations and potential impropriety in the dealings between the two entities.
In response to the allegations, the GRA defended the collaboration with SML, emphasizing the positive impact on revenue generation in the downstream petroleum sector.
According to the GRA, SML played a pivotal role in increasing monthly petroleum sector revenue from 350 million liters in 2018 and 2019 to an impressive 450 million liters per month in 2020 and 2021.
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