SML-GRA contract: insufficient evidence to prosecute government officials

The Majority Caucus in Parliament says there is insufficient evidence to implicate any government official as responsible for financial losses to the State in relation to the Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML) contract under the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The Caucus argued that prosecuting anyone over the SML-GRA agreement was not justified.

Speaking to the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament on Friday, Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin dismissed the National Democratic Congress’ demands to prosecute those involved in the contract as baseless.

He said: “We are now aware that our friends in the NDC are calling for certain prosecutions. “I think they haven’t paid attention to the whole thing and just want to do politics as usual.”

“Their call is baseless for the simple reason that there is no established evidence that any state official has caused financial loss to the state.”

“…In fact, what they believe are payments to SML are not payments from Government revenues. If you read the agreement carefully, SML is paid with what it generates and they would have to pay attention to the details.”

“They are paid 0.05 percent per liter of revenue they generate as a result of the system established to monitor activities in the oil sector.”

“And it is also instructive to note that this company opened its doors to the Mines and Energy Committee to inspect and see the nature of its operations.”

Afenyo-Markin, the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Effutu, advised the NDC not to destroy Ghanaian businesses.

“…Often, under the guise of due diligence and ensuring that there is transparency, we often go out of control and destroy Ghanaian companies, while foreign companies operating in certain sectors get a type of protection that allows them to develop their businesses. businesses, while Ghanaian businesses suffer,” he said.

The government business leader said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s decision to conduct a thorough review of the contract was in the best interest of the public.