President Akufo-Addo has rejected the Ghana Revenue Authority's (GRA) request to allow the continuous operation of SML's monitoring system during the ongoing audit conducted by KPMG.

The President has specified that the suspension should persist until KPMG completes its audit and submits the findings for review.

This decision was communicated by Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, through a press statement issued on Wednesday, January 24.

“The President has denied GRA’s request and has directed that the status quo, with respect to the suspension of the performance of the contract, should remain in effect until the completion of the audit and, subsequent, submission of the audit report by KPMG,” an excerpt of the release said.

Initially set for completion by Tuesday, January 16, 2024, the new deadline for KPMG's work is now Friday, February 23, 2024.

This extension follows a request from KPMG to the President, seeking additional time beyond the initial two-week period provided for the task.

“KPMG is to submit its final report no later than Friday, 23rd February 2024," the statement added.

In a December 2023 investigative report, The Fourth Estate implicated Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Ministry of Finance in a contentious contract.

The report alleged that GRA had granted SML a purported 10-year contract with an annual payment of $100 million, raising concerns about possible irregularities. SML refuted this claim, asserting that it had a five-year contract instead.

The GRA, in a statement on December 20, 2023, maintained that proper procurement procedures were followed. On January 3, 2024, SML welcomed President Akufo-Addo's directive to suspend its ongoing revenue assurance operations and undergo an audit of its contract with the GRA and the Ministry of Finance.

President Akufo-Addo appointed KPMG, an audit, tax, and advisory services firm, to conduct an immediate audit.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has initiated an investigation into the controversial contract between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The focus of the probe is on potential breaches of procurement processes and allegations of corruption and corruption-related activities.