The Fourth Estate, a media organization, has submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request seeking copies of all contracts between auditing firm KPMG and the government of Ghana over the last decade.
The request follows President Nana Akufo-Addo's appointment of KPMG to audit a contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Company Limited (SML).
The contract, criticized as unnecessary and duplicative, raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest due to KPMG's existing contracts with the GRA.
Civil society organizations, including IMANI Africa, the Africa Centre for Energy Policy, and Occupy Ghana, expressed worries about KPMG's role as the government's sole advisor on pandemic relief packages and staff recruitment for the GRA.
Additionally, KPMG manages the ESLA tax vehicle for the government and serves as a technical advisor to the GRA in areas under investigation.
The Fourth Estate's RTI request specifically seeks information on services rendered by KPMG to the GRA, Ministry of Finance, and other government agencies, along with corresponding fees, from 2013 to 2023.
Copies of the contracts for these services are also requested. The media organization aims to shed light on the nature and extent of KPMG's involvement with the government over the past decade.
Meanwhile, SML, the company under scrutiny for its contract with the GRA, expressed confidence in KPMG's audit, emphasizing that it will confirm the integrity of its collaboration with the GRA and the Ministry of Finance.
The investigation into the GRA-SML contract by The Fourth Estate revealed potential financial implications and led to the government's decision to appoint KPMG for the audit.
However, concerns have been raised by some, including former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, who suggested that the Office of the Special Prosecutor should handle the investigation.
The RTI request seeks transparency and accountability in the contractual relationships between KPMG and the Ghanaian government, addressing concerns about conflicts of interest and the use of public resources.