The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has disclosed that significant tax irregularities connected to automatic payments made by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) for downstream petroleum audit services.
Special Prosecutor Mr. Kissi Agyebeng stated that GRA, the country’s central tax authority, failed to deduct statutory taxes amounting to GHS13,380,000 during the processing of payments. While the tax component was later offset in July 2024, a penal component of GHS18,800,000 remains unpaid.
In addition, Mr. Agyebeng noted that SML still owes a pay-as-you-earn tax liability of GHS346,967.53, further highlighting lapses in tax compliance and oversight.
He told journalists in Accra on Thursday, October 30, that “A central issue arising from the automatic payments by GRA to SML in respect of downstream petroleum audit is that GRA, the central tax authority, failed to deduct statutory taxes totaling GHS13,380,000. GRA subsequently, in July 2024, offset this tax component.
“However, a penal component of GHS18,800,000 remains outstanding. In addition, there is an outstanding pay-as-you-earn tax liability of GHS346,967.53.”
The revelations form part of the broader investigation by the OSP into contracts awarded to SML, which have already been criticised for unlawful approvals, automatic payments without verification of work performed, and minimal service delivery.
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