The Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, has stated that no payments have been made to Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) since he assumed office in January 2025, as scrutiny continues over the revenue assurance contract.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Monday, April 13, he said one of his earliest actions upon taking office was to suspend payments to the company due to concerns surrounding the agreement.

He explained that his prior involvement in audit work conducted by KPMG on the GRA-SML arrangement gave him a clear understanding of the issues involved, which informed his decision-making after assuming office.

“By the time I came into office, I already understood the issues. The first thing I did was to stop payment to SML. Up till today, not a single payment has been made since January [2025],” he said.

Mr Sarpong further indicated that he also halted aspects of SML’s operations that were under dispute, pending investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. He rejected claims of conflict of interest due to his former role at KPMG, stressing that he has no financial link to the firm.

“I retired from KPMG before taking up this role, so anything KPMG does, does not benefit me financially,” he said, adding that the KPMG audit findings largely align with those of the OSP, with only minor variations in valuation assessments.

The GRA-SML contract has come under sustained public scrutiny following an audit commissioned by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, with questions raised about value for money and implementation despite its aim to enhance revenue mobilisation and reduce leakages.