A Professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo has said that he supported the selection of KPMG by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the audit work on the agreement between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
It is recalled that Civil society activists opposed the decision by the President to appoint KPMG.
For instance, a Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons said the nature of the allegations against the deal requires state bodies with the right powers and independence to audit.
“The terms of reference do not extend to a forensic examination of the procurement abuses (single sourcing of an unqualified entity) nor of the technology system purported to have been created for the job, etc. A detailed concurrent review by the OSP & CHRAJ is warranted.
“KPMG’s practice oversight bosses should prudently preserve the firm’s reputation & drop this assignment. This issue is a hot political potato right now. The nature of the allegations requires an IN-DEPTH look by state bodies with the RIGHT POWERS & INDEPENDENCE. KPMG has neither,” he wrote on X.
Similarly, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy Benjamin Boakye said KPMG is a client of GRA, therefore, it would be unethical for it to accept this particular assignment.
“KPMG has its integrity at stake if it accepts this job. It is a client of GRA and its investigation against the leaders of one of its LARGE portfolios is exceedingly suspicious. Simply unethical,” he wrote on X.
But speaking on the KeyPoint on TV3 on Saturday, April 6 while commenting on the announcement by the Presidency that the audit report has been received by President Akufo-Addo, Prof Gyampo said “People talk a lot, if he had given to the state agencies we will say they are compromised. He has given to a private entity and we are still talking.
“I sided with the President for going the KPMG route.”
Akufo-Addo studying KPMG report on GRA-SML deal – Presidency