Some persons deliberately attempting to destroy SML’s reputation – Atta Akyea
The Chairman of Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, Samuel Atta Akyea, has suggested that there may be individuals seeking to undermine Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
Mr Atta Akyea, who represents Abuakwa South in Parliament, stated that certain individuals may deliberately be trying to tarnish the company’s reputation following a tour of SML’s facilities in Tema on Monday, February 26.
Atta Akyea asserted that SML seems to be making significant contributions to the country’s revenue generation.
His comments come in the wake of the suspension of the company’s contract with the state by President Akufo-Addo and his order for an audit of its performance.
Parliament is also to probe SML’s contract and performance. However, ahead the probe, the Chairman of the committee to do that job appears to give the company thumbs up.
“If you have a sense of technology and if you see how there have been monumental theft in terms of how under-declarations are done, I am afraid they (SML) have come to expose something very huge, and I think the numbers will show. So for us as Members of Parliament, we have come here to familiarise ourselves with what they have been doing, we will also take the numbers and roll it up.”
“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 have no clue what these individuals are doing here, but they have come to conclusions already, and that is very sad. You don’t have to run a nation this way. When there is a Ghanaian initiative and if you don’t have the facts and understanding to even come to terms with what they are monitoring and the world-class auditing they are doing, and you come to conclusions that this is a contract for political bribery, then it leaves much to be desired,” he told the press.
SML, a Ghanaian-owned company, came under scrutiny following an investigative report by the Fourth Estate alleging irregularities in a $100 million contract awarded to SML by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Both GRA and SML deny any wrongdoing, with SML initiating a legal action against the Fourth Estate for defamation.
Since the signing of the revenue assurance contract in December 2020, there has been a noticeable increase in revenue, according to the Ghana Revenue Authority, which says revenue has surged by GH¢12,981,376,688.00 since the contract was signed.
Myjoyonline.com
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