….Says President was insulted
As the intricate saga surrounding the Strategic Mobilization Ghana Ltd (SML) transaction continues, the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, resolutely dismissed the plea from Rev. Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to recommence the controversial deal.
The Commissioner General’s audacious move to approach the President directly, even after embarking on a holiday hiatus, has added an unexpected layer of complexity to an already contentious situation.
In the plea, the Commissioner General, argued that suspending the transaction would inflict potential damage on the country’s revenue stream, a claim dismissed by advocates and people with insight into the transaction.
On Super Morning Show, last week, Ben Boakye of Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), dismissed the position of the Commission General, indicating the GRA boss provided no basis for his revenue loss claims.
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Mr Boakye, also found it insulting to the president for the Commissioner-General to assume the president did not understand what he was doing when he suspended the transaction.
Sources now suggest a nuanced orchestration behind the scenes, implicating the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, as a key player in shaping the Commissioner General’s letter.
The Minister’s alleged involvement, introduces an element of political maneuverings into the narrative, intensifying the scrutiny on the controversial transaction.
Furthermore, there are emerging indications that the Board Chairman of the GRA, has become increasingly entangled in the complexities of the SML deal.
This strategic manoeuvring is seen as an attempt to pre-empt any potential backlash and mitigate confusion surrounding the involvement of key stakeholders, including the Minister, the GRA Board, and the Commissioner General.
The denial of the request to proceed with the SML contract, has left the Minister of Finance with dwindling options.
The conspicuous silence maintained by the Minister on this matter, has only intensified public speculation and calls for transparency.
As the political intrigue unfolds, the President’s decision to stand firm against the resumption of the transaction adds a layer of uncertainty to the political landscape.
Some believe the president seeks to redeem his image of clearing corrupt transactions, while others believe it is another exercise to exonerate his cousin the finance minister, leaving many wondering if KPMG, the audit firm doing the investigations, will allow itself to be used for such political cleansing.
Simultaneously, in a parallel development highlighting the commitment to transparency and accountability, the President, has granted an extension to KPMG for their investigative role in the SML deal.
Originally scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, the investigative period now extends until Friday, February 23, 2024.
This extension was granted in response to a formal request from KPMG to the President, seeking additional time beyond the initially allocated two-week period.
The final report from KPMG, expected on Friday, February 23, 2024, is heavily anticipated by the Ghanaian public to unveil the whole dynamics around the SML deal.
