NDC calls for immediate termination of contracts between SML and GRA

The largest opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the government to immediately cancel all contracts of Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML), citing concerns over legality and financial losses to the state.

Addressing the media at the "Moment of Truth Series" regarding the issues surrounding the SML scandal the National Communication Officer of NDC, Sammy Gyamfi Esq, firmly stated that the transactions audit, external price verification, and downstream petroleum audit contracts between the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government and SML were deemed unlawful, duplicitous, and detrimental to the nation's interests.

He highlighted that payments totaling GH¢1,061,054,778 made by the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government to SML under these contracts were illegal.

Again, he urged the current government, led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to recover all payments made to SML under these illegal agreements, which have resulted in significant financial losses for the state.

Furthermore, Sammy Gyamfi pledged that the next NDC government, upon assuming office in 2025, would not recognize any illegal contracts between the government of Ghana and SML.

"The goal of the investigations proposed by the NDC would be to recover all illegal payments made to SML on behalf of the state and ensure that all individuals involved are prosecuted," he said.

This stance by the NDC comes in response to an investigative report by Manasseh Azure Awuni and his colleagues at the Fourth Estate, which exposed corrupt dealings between the GRA and SML.

Following this expose and growing calls from the NDC minority in parliament, NGOs, and other concerned citizens for an investigation, President Akufo-Addo commissioned KPMG to conduct an audit into SML’s dealings with the GRA.