The Minority caucus in Parliament has raised concerns over a 10-year contract between the Finance Ministry and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) for revenue assurance services, terming it a “rip-off” and a “burden on taxpayers.”
John Jinapor, Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, addressed journalists on Monday, accusing the government of entering into a contract that primarily benefits “greedy politicians” rather than serving the public interest.
“We do not believe that there is value for money; this contract is a rip-off, designed to fill the pockets of greedy politicians and individuals. We cannot allow the taxpayer to be burdened with such unnecessary contracts that only go a long way to fill the pockets of individuals,” said Mr. Jinapor.
The Minority is now demanding the immediate suspension of the contract until a thorough parliamentary investigation can be conducted to assess the allegations of mismanagement.
“We advise that immediately, that contract should be suspended pending a parliamentary investigation. When we go into it and find out that all those allegations are true, we will ensure that this contract is abrogated,” added Mr. Jinapor.
Expressing additional concerns, Jinapor highlighted the potential consequences of Ghana’s failure to service its external debts, particularly in relation to negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to reports, the IMF board meeting, originally scheduled to consider the second tranche of a $3 billion credit facility, has been delayed until January 11, 2024.
Jinapor warned that this delay could seriously jeopardize the hard-won economic gains the government has achieved and called on the authorities to address the debt servicing issue promptly to prevent further setbacks.
The government is yet to respond to the Minority’s demands, setting the stage for a potential showdown in Parliament as the nation awaits the outcome of the proposed investigation.