NDC Demands Immediate Termination of Controversial GRA-SML Contracts

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has intensified its call for the immediate termination of contracts between Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), citing them as illegal and detrimental to the nation's finances. In a recent press conference held in Accra, Sammy Gyamfi, the Communication Officer of the NDC, emphasized the party's stance, demanding the cessation of all agreements, including transactional, audit-related, and downstream petroleum contracts.

Gyamfi highlighted the proven illegality of these contracts, stressing that they violated key legislative frameworks such as the Public Procurement Authority Act and the Public Financial Management Act. According to him, these breaches have cost the state over GH¢ 1 billion since 2017, prompting the NDC's strong condemnation and call for corrective action.

Furthermore, Gyamfi urged the government to retrieve all payments made to SML under these unlawful agreements and to make public the full investigative report conducted by KPMG on the matter. He also called for the prosecution of all individuals involved in the awarding of these contracts and the alleged illegal payments to SML.

Expressing the NDC's position on the issue, Gyamfi asserted that should the party assume power, it would not recognize these contracts and would conduct thorough investigations to recover any illicit payments while ensuring accountability through legal action against culpable parties. He criticized the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for what he perceived as a failure to uphold the standards it once advocated for regarding procurement practices.

In a broader context, Gyamfi underscored the NDC's commitment to transparency and accountability in government procurement processes, echoing sentiments previously expressed by the party's running mate, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang. He urged Ghanaians to support the NDC in the upcoming elections, emphasizing the party's readiness to address corruption issues plaguing the current administration.

The backdrop to this controversy dates back to January 2, when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo commissioned an audit into the GRA-SML transactions following media reports of alleged impropriety. Subsequent actions by the President included directing a review of the contract terms to ensure alignment with national interests, particularly in fee structures and service delivery expectations.

As the political landscape continues to be shaped by these developments, the NDC's vigorous advocacy for accountability and transparency stands as a pivotal element in the ongoing discourse surrounding governance and financial stewardship in Ghana.

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