President Akufo-Addo has made public the audit report by KPMG on the contract signed between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), delivered to him on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
The report released by the Communications Director of the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, finds the GRA guilty of failing to obtain approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) for contracts with Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
According to a report by KPMG, GRA sought approval from PPA three times between June 2017 and September 2017 to engage SML for transaction audit services, but approval was not granted.
Despite this, GRA proceeded to engage SML as a subcontractor to West Blue, eventually taking over services from West Blue when their contract ended in December 2018.
Furthermore, GRA added external price verification to the services offered by SML and signed a downstream petroleum audit agreement with SML, all without PPA approval.
It was not until August 27, 2020, under new leadership at GRA, that PPA ratified the procurement processes used to engage SML. This raises questions about GRA’s adherence to procurement regulations and the oversight of its contracting processes.
The lack of PPA approval for these contracts highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in GRA’s procurement practices.
It is essential for public institutions to follow due process and obtain the necessary approvals to ensure the integrity of the procurement process and the prudent use of public funds.
Below is the full report by President Akufo-Addo
