The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has arrested several current and former officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML), and the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
They were arrested in connection with suspected corruption and related offences linked to revenue assurance contracts between GRA and SML.
Revenerd Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, a Former Commissioner-General of GRA, Mr Isaac Crentsil, a Former Commissioner of Customs, now General Manager at SML and Mr Christian Tetteh Sottie, a Former Technical Advisor at GRA, now Managing Director of SML were arrested and detained:
According to the OSP these three were detained after failing to meet bail conditions.
Meanwhile, Mr Evans Adusei, the CEO of SML, Mr Phillip Mensah, a Former Deputy Commissioner (Legal) at GRA, now Legal Consultant to SML, Mr Kofi Nti, a Former Commissioner-General of GRA and Mr Joseph Kuruk and Faustina Adjorkor – Officials of the Public Procurement Authority were also arrested and granted bail.
The OSP said its investigation was examining the legality, procurement process, and financial impact of the contracts awarded to SML, including the company’s claims of generating significant revenue savings for the State.
KPMG inquiry
The President had commissioned KPMG on December 29, 2023 to undertake an inquiry to gain a clear understanding of the matters in controversy, and to be properly advised in taking the necessary decisions.
On May 22, 2024, then President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo released the full KPMG report of the transaction between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML for public consumption.
A statement announcing the release said the President, “in the interest of full transparency in governance, openness, and honesty with the public, has decided to waive the privilege under section 5 of the RTI Act and has directed the publication of the KPMG report in full.”
On April 24, 2024, Nana Addo received a request from the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), under section 18 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989) (RTI Act), for a copy of the KPMG report on the contracts and transactions between GRA and SML.
The statement from the presidency said bearing in mind the provisions of the RTI Act, particularly section 5(1)(a) and (b)(i) of the Act, the President denied the request by MFWA since the KPMG report constituted matters exempt under section 5 of the RTI Act.
“However, the President, in the interest of full transparency in governance, openness, and honesty with the public, has decided to waive the privilege under section 5 of the RTI Act and has directed the publication of the KPMG report in full,” it added.
