: Manasseh Accuses Ofori-Atta of Masterminding SML’s Expansion to Mining, Oil Despite Regulator Objections
Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has accused former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of orchestrating the extension of the controversial Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) contracts to the mining and petroleum sectors, bypassing key regulators like the Minerals Commission and Petroleum Commission, which claimed no evidence of revenue leakages to warrant the move.
In an interview following the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) revelations on the SML-Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) deal, Awuni described Ofori-Atta as the “mastermind” behind the “outrageous contract.” “Neither the Minerals Commission nor the Petroleum Commission were consulted,” Awuni stated. “We asked if they had reports of leakages requiring a third party—they said no. But Ofori-Atta sat in his office and determined SML was needed.”
The OSP is preparing charges against Ofori-Atta and others for corruption, procurement breaches, and abuse of office in the SML agreements, deemed “unnecessary and blighted by statutory violations.” Investigations revealed SML lacked infrastructure for the services, with trials set before November’s end.
President John Dramani Mahama ordered termination of all SML contracts in a letter from Secretary Dr. Callistus Mahama to Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, citing the OSP probe. The contracts, expanded under Ofori-Atta in 2023 to mining and upstream petroleum for revenue assurance, were criticized for lacking parliamentary approval and costing GH¢1.2 billion annually.
Awuni’s claims align with a 2023 Fourth Estate exposé that sparked the OSP review, uncovering $1.2 billion in payments without audits. Ofori-Atta, facing extradition probes, has not responded.
