Audio By Carbonatix
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, has called for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to be dissolved and reconstituted.
According to him, the GRA has failed to live up to its mandate and should not be allowed to continue in its current state.
His comments follow the release of KPMG's audit assurance report on the contract between the GRA and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
On Wednesday, May 22, President Akufo-Addo released the KPMG audit report on the controversial contract.
The disclosure followed weeks of mounting pressure from Ghanaians, including civil society organizations, who demanded transparency over numerous contract infractions.
The audit findings revealed that SML owes the GRA GH¢31.88 million in unpaid taxes for eight months of service provision.
Read also: KPMG Report reveals SML received GH¢720m from ESLA’s GH¢2.45bn revenue
This debt includes accrued interest, estimated at GH¢18.50 million as of January 31, 2024. Notably, all these contracts lacked approval from both the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and Parliament.
Additionally, the report disclosed that the GRA had six service contracts with SML, contradicting the presidency's initial claim of only three contracts.
This discrepancy sharply contrasts with information previously stated in a press release by the Communications Director of the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, on April 24.
- Read also: ‘Stinky SML scandal won’t die’ – Manasseh to Akufo-Addo over refusal to release KPMG report
The revelations have sparked significant public outrage, with many Ghanaians calling for the immediate cancellation of the deal and the prosecution of those responsible.
Following this, Mr George is advocating for the dissolution and reconstitution of the GRA.
"The Ghana Revenue Authority in my humble opinion is a crime scene and is the biggest single purveyor of corruption in our public service.
"I suggest the disillusionment and a reconstitution of the whole GRA. The GRA is supposed to be the watchdog in ensuring that nobody evades taxes and in this SML deal, the GRA itself failed to retrieve tax," he said.
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