Mahama Orders Immediate Termination Of SML Deal

President John Dramani Mahama has reportedly ordered the immediate cancellation of the revenue assurance contract between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

This follows the publication of a comprehensive report on the contract by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) after a thorough investigation.

“The cancellation means the downstream petroleum sector, the upstream petroleum sector, and the mining sector contracts that entitled SML to fixed revenue would not be implemented,” Investigative Journalist Mannase Awuni Azure who first brought the alleged rots in the deal to public attention wrote on Facebook while breaking the news.

He therefore expressed appreciation to the President for the decision.

“I also thank President Mahama for acting on his promise in 2024 that the NDC government under him would not recognise the shady SML deals.”

According to him, the consolidated SML contract from all the sectors was worth over 500 million dollars for the first five years, and it was to be renewable for another five years.

Report
At a presser on October 30, 2025, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng affirmed that there were no grounds for contracting SML for a revenue assurance contract.

He revealed that their contract had statutory breaches as mandatory approvals were “wantonly disregarded” by relevant officials who acted with “increased and emboldened impunity”.

Six individuals described as patrons, sponsors and promoters of the deal include Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori Atta, former Finance Minister; Ernest Akore, Chef de Cabine to Ofori Atta; Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner of GRA; Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner General of GRA; Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of Customs Division of GRA and former General Manager of SML; and Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioner of Customs Division of GRA and MP for JAMA South.