The Office of the President has turned down a request from the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to release the complete KPMG report concerning the revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
The MFWA invoked section 18 of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), on April 24, 2024, seeking access to the comprehensive audit report commissioned by the President.
In response, the presidency cited section 5 (1) (a) and (b) (i) of the RTI Act, stating that information containing opinions, advice, deliberations, or recommendations submitted to the President is exempt from disclosure to safeguard the integrity of the deliberative process.
According to a statement released by the presidency, the complete KPMG Audit Report includes crucial opinions, advice, and deliberations integral to the President’s decision-making process, thus qualifying as exempt information.
Despite the refusal, the President has shared the principal findings and recommendations of the report in a detailed press statement issued on April 24, 2024, ensuring public awareness while adhering to statutory limitations on specific disclosures.
“Understanding the public interest in the GRA-SML contract, the President has published the principal findings and recommendations of the KPMG report in a detailed press statement issued by the Office of the President on 24th April 2024. Thus, the public remains informed while respecting the statutory restrictions on specific disclosures,” it added.
