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SML Deal: MFWA to petition RTI Commission over presidency’s refusal to grant request
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is set to challenge the Presidency’s refusal to release the complete KPMG audit report on the controversial Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) contract.
Executive Director of the Foundation, Sulemana Braimah dissented with the presidency’s stance and the rationale cited for denying the RTI request for the report.
Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews, he argued that since the report has been deliberated upon and the President has already issued opinions and directives, its release would not affect his position as claimed.
“So what is it that the president would say, ‘well if I issue it out there, it will affect my deliberative processes or review an opinion?’ Those opinions have been communicated, unless the president has, or the report contains something that the president would want to hide from the public,” Mr Braimah said.
“That is why tomorrow (Tuesday) we’re actually submitting a petition to the RTI Commission, challenging the decision of the presidency on our request,” he added.
This comes after the Presidency declined a Right to Information (RTI) application submitted by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) seeking the full KPMG audit report on the revenue mobilisation agreement between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML).
Citing section 5 (1) (a) and (b) (i) of the RTI Act, the Presidency stated that it has the right to reject requests for information deemed crucial. According to the Presidency, the KPMG report contains sensitive information falling under these provisions.
However, Mr Braimah believes the President misinterpreted section five of the RTI Act, where it has the right to reject requests for information deemed crucial like the KPMG report.
“If you read the section five that they referenced, it’s quite clear that we are talking about a report that has been submitted to the President, and he is yet to communicate about it or yet to make known whatever it is, then, of course, you would say, well, it’s still under consideration, the president is still deliberating on the matter,” he explained.
“But we are talking about a report that has been submitted. The President has come out clearly to tell us what was contained in the report and his position on the report. And so, if you read section five, quite clearly, I think it’s a misinterpretation of the provisions of section five, basically, to, you know, do a denial,” Mr Braimah added.
He stated that MFWA through this petition hopes the RTI Commission take steps to ensure that the presidency grants their request and releases the full audit report.
Background
The SML contract, awarded by the Ministry of Finance and GRA, triggered scrutiny after an investigative report found irregularities in its procurement and performance. SML, an offshoot of a timber company, was tasked with undertaking revenue assurance services in the downstream petroleum sector.
An investigative report in December of 2023 by The Fourth Estate indicated that SML Ghana won the sole-sourced contract though it had no prior experience in revenue assurance. It also found that the company had no evidence to back its claim that it had saved the nation from potential revenue losses amounting to GH₵3 billion.
President Akufo-Addo, following the investigative report, suspended the contract and appointed an international audit and accounting firm, KPMG, to audit the contract.
Source: myjoyonline.com
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
