Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Isaac Adongo, has called on the government to publish and present the KPMG report on the controversial Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) agreement to Parliament.
The call follows rising concerns over handling the SML contract, which Adongo labels as a ‘criminal enterprise’ that lacks transparency and adherence to procurement laws.
“The dubious SML agreement, previously rejected by the Public Procurement Authority in 2017 due to non-compliance, has resurfaced, causing a public uproar spearheaded by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the Minority,” Adongo stated.
He slammed the government’s digitalization agenda led by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a facade aimed at misleading the public.
A statement issued by the Ranking Member, also a Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central observed that the agreement, initially procured without the proper sanctions from Parliament and in violation of the Public Financial Management (PMF) Act, was suspended following a Finance Committee recommendation.
He accused the government of preemptively hiring KPMG to audit the agreement before parliamentary scrutiny and questioned the scope and intentions behind KPMG’s involvement.
“The procurement of KPMG seems designed to distort and conceal the true nature of the allegations against the SML agreement,” Adongo stated.
He called for a detailed examination of the audit’s terms of reference and the methodology used, to ensure that it addresses compliance with procurement laws, the Financial Management Act, and whether the excessive costs involved delivered value for money.
“If the contract has indeed failed to deliver value for money and is marred by significant legal breaches, those responsible must be held accountable,” Adongo added.
The Bolgatanga Central legislature underscored the economic implications of the SML agreement and criticized the government’s expenditure on non-agreement-related variables and the overall impact on fuel prices and consumption.
According to Adongo, bringing the KPMG report into the public domain and laying it before Parliament will not only clarify the factual basis of the agreement but also aid in identifying the beneficiaries of this flawed deal.
He rallied the public to unite in safeguarding the nation’s financial resources and stressed this deep-seated issue extends beyond mere policy disagreements to the very heart of governance and public trust.
