The Chairman of Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, Samuel Atta Akyea, has dismissed allegations of cheating in the GRA-SML contract as mere propaganda.
These allegations arose following an investigative report by the Fourth Estate in December 2023.
SML, in response to the report, denied claims of a 10-year contract, stating that the agreement spanned 5 years. They also refuted accusations of siphoning $100 million annually from the deal.
During a visit to the Tema division of SML for fact-finding purposes, Atta Akyea advised against hastily branding the contract as a channel for political corruption.
He emphasized the importance of awaiting the findings from President Akufo-Addo’s initiative and engaging formally based on KPMG’s assessment.
“The committee is very careful not to prejudice what President Akufo-Addo is trying to do. Let Jubilee House come out with their findings based on what KPMG will say, we will engage them formally. What I hate is to try and do propaganda when you don’t have the facts and that is what some people are doing.
“A lot of people don’t have any clue as to what these individuals, this company is doing, yet they come to conclusions and for me, that is very sad. You have not even gone to their data room to see what they are monitoring and the world-class audit they are doing, and you come to the conclusion that this is a conduit for political bribery and all the kinds of things people might want to say, it leaves much to be desired. Those who are interested in knowing the truth will know.”