The Office of the President has declined a request to release the complete audit report by KPMG concerning the revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
Citing sections 5(1)(a) and (b)(i) of the RTI Act, the Presidency emphasized its authority to deny requests for information considered essential.
Furthermore, the Presidency stated that certain portions of the report contain sensitive data categorized as “exempt information,” falling within the provisions of the RTI Act.
A letter addressed to the MFWA dated May 7 and signed by the Chief Director to the Chief of Staff, H. M. Wood, conveyed this decision.
The Presidency expressed regret for its inability to fulfill the request, highlighting the confidential nature of the KPMG report.
“After careful consideration and in line with sections 5 (1) (a) and (b) (i) of the RTI Act, I regret to inform you that your request has been declined. Section 5 (1) (a) and (b) (i) stipulates that information prepared for or submitted to the President or Vice President containing opinions, advice, deliberations, recommendations, minutes, or consultations, is exempt from disclosure. Disclosure of such information would jeopardize the integrity of the deliberative process by exposing the thought process, considerations, and influence on decision-making reserved for the highest offices of the land.”
“The complete KPMG Audit Report contains opinions, advice, deliberations, and recommendations crucial to the President’s decision-making process and, therefore, qualifies as exempt information under section 5 (1) (a) and (b) (i).”
MFWA sought the full KPMG report under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
KPMG, an auditing firm, has finalized and submitted its report on the GRA-SML contract to President Akufo-Addo.
President Akufo-Addo commissioned KPMG to audit the contract on January 2, 2024, with an initial deadline of January 16, 2024, later extended to February 23, 2024.
