THE HYPOCRISY OF SOME OF OUR SO-CALLED LAWYERS AND JOURNALISTS
It is not the FAULT of SML that the Government did Not Seek Parliamentary Approval.
I heard, Samson Lardy Anyenini, on Joy 99.7 FM say Government not sending the SML Contract to Parliament for Approval is not the FAULT of SML. In essence, he is saying SML and its Directors have no constitutional mandate or obligation to send contracts to Parliament for Approval (even before executing same).
I must state that I agree with him 100 percent because I have always argued that no Contractor or Businessman has the power to perform any Constitutional, Legal, or Regulatory duties/functions of Ministers or Public Officials.
My Concern
My concern is the shameless hypocrisy, double standard, dishonesty, shallowness, and unprincipled nature of people like Samson Lardy Anyenini.
The hypocrisy stems from the fact that Samson Lardy and his likes made all the noise, and publicly crucified Waterville BVI and Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome because a certain CAN 2008 Contract between the Government of Ghana and Waterville BVI was not sent to Parliament for Approval.
It was on the basis of the said void contract (as determined by the Supreme Court) that the Supreme Court ordered Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome to the State even though he was in no form of shape linked to the 2006 Contract between GoG and Waterville BVI. In fact, Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome’s claim for which he got a default judgment was for services he rendered to GoG in 2005, and NOTHING in relation to the supppsed 2006 Contract.
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Question:
How come Samson Lardy Anyenini believe and blame Waterville/Woyome for not seeking Parliamentary Approval, but accepts that SML cannot be faulted or blamed for their contract not going to Parliament for Approval?
The Cocks will Come Home to Roost.
God Rules in the Affairs of Men.
(70/52/K-58)
BACKGROUND
President Akufo-Addo in a press statement released by the Communications Director of the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, instructed the GRA and the Ministry of Finance to renegotiate the SML contract.
The president emphasized that the renegotiation should be closely monitored and evaluated periodically to ensure it meets expectations.
“There is a clear need for the downstream petroleum audit services provided by SML. GRA and the State have benefited from these services since SML commenced providing them. There has been an increase in volumes of 1.7 billion litres and an increase in tax revenue to the State of GHS 2.45 billion. KPMG also observed that there were qualitative benefits, including a 24/7 electronic real-time monitoring of outflow and partial monitoring of inflows of petroleum products at depots where SML had installed flowmeters and six levels of reconciliation done by SML.
“This minimises the occurrence of under-declarations. However, it is important to review the contract for downstream petroleum audit services, particularly the fee structure. Given the experience and proficiency of SML over the last four years of providing this service, the President has directed that the fee structure be changed from a variable to a fixed fee structure. Other provisions of the contract worth reviewing include clauses on intellectual property rights, termination, and service delivery expectations,” he wrote.
The decision to renegotiate the contract follows the president’s acceptance of the recommendation by KPMG after its audit of the deal.
The audit findings prompted the need for a review of the revenue assurance contract, highlighting areas where improvements are necessary to enhance its effectiveness.
On January 2, 2024, President Nana Akufo-Addo commissioned KPMG to investigate the contract between SML and GRA, prompted by an exposé by media outfit, the Fourth Estate.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has since received the KPMG audit report regarding the revenue mobilisation contract between GRA and SML.
The report was delivered to him on Wednesday, March 27, as announced in a Facebook post by Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, on Wednesday, April 3.
