Accra: Mr Duncan Amoah, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), has lauded the contributions of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) to enhancing revenue collection in the petroleum downstream sector. Mr Amoah, speaking at the fifth-anniversary celebration of SML in Accra, recounted his initial skepticism towards the company, which was fueled by misinformation and led to public criticism.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Amoah admitted that after engaging more deeply with SML and observing its operations firsthand, he had to reassess some of his previous statements against the company. He highlighted that COPEC’s earlier concerns regarding revenue losses due to petroleum diversions, as outlined in their annual reports from 2015 to 2018, were being effectively addressed by SML’s real-time tracking and tracing systems.
Mr Amoah noted that SML’s intervention had provided reassurance for COPEC, ensuring that the state revenue required for national development was now better safeguarded against diversion. His remarks come in the context of investigations by the Fourth Estate, an investigative journalism project, into contracts awarded to SML by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Additionally, five civil society organisations have filed a lawsuit demanding the recovery of $141 million already paid to SML.
Despite these challenges, Mr Duncan stressed that the GRA’s recognition of SML’s positive impact on revenue collection should serve as a source of national satisfaction and encouragement for the company to expand its efforts. He shared insights from a confidential GRA report, suggesting that while challenges in the downstream sector are being addressed, similar issues exist on a larger scale upstream.
Mr Amoah urged the government to implement tracking and transparency mechanisms in the upstream sector to ensure Ghana receives its fair share of resources. He also called for an end to the partisan politicisation of SML’s operations, noting that during election periods, criticisms are often directed at government initiatives, and SML might have been caught up in this excessive politicisation of issues.
He encouraged SML to remain steadfast and not be disheartened by negative publicity, citing the experiences of other Ghanaian companies facing similar criticisms. Mr Amoah commended the board, management, and staff of SML for their impact and expressed optimism for even greater contributions in the future.