The GH₵3billion lie: I just hope there is no scheme to sell Ghana by Akufo-Addo's regime — Sulemana Braimah

Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa

Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah has opined on the recently released investigative report by the Fourth Estate titled “The GHS3 billion lie and the billion dollar contract.”

In a post via X on Monday, December 18, the media freedom advocate hoped the entire country is not about to be secretly sold due to the damning revelation in the investigative report.

“The Create, Loot & Share schemes under the Akufo-Addo regime are just so grand. I just hope there is no scheme to sell Ghana,” he wrote.

Background
A new investigative report has revealed irregularities in a multi-million cedi contract awarded by the Ghanaian government, raising concerns about transparency and value for money.

The report by Fourth Estate released on Monday details their findings into a deal between the government and Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML) in 2019.

Under the contract, SML is receiving large monthly payments of up to GH₵24 million, despite having no prior experience in the services they claimed to provide.

SML was hired through a single source procurement process to address issues like underreporting and diversion in Ghana's downstream petroleum sector.

However, regulatory authorities said these problems were already being efficiently handled by established systems.

The report further revealed that SML took credit on its website for revenue increases in the sector, including an unfounded claim that it had saved Ghana over GH₵3 billion.

But the revenue growth has been attributed to rising volumes and increased tax rates - factors SML did not contribute to.

When confronted by the Fourth Estate, SML admitted it did not perform the listed functions and removed the false statements.

Nonetheless, the large payments continue through the questionable contract despite experts saying SML's role duplicates existing work and the contract should be canceled.

Adding to the controversy, government agencies have refused requests to disclose payment details to SML or respond to information requests, raising questions of transparency, according to the investigators.