Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has announced that he will pause his public commentaries on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), particularly regarding the SML contract case, following advice from well-meaning voices.
In a detailed clarification, Awuni admitted an error in his petition to the OSP, where he stated the SML contract was worth $100 million, instead of $100 million per year, as indicated in reports and video documentaries that prompted the petition.
According to him, he acknowledged that the OSP’s Director of Strategy and Communication, Sammy Darko, was correct on this point.
GRA-SML contracts violated both law and ‘basic common sense’ – Manasseh Azure
However, Awuni disputed the OSP’s claim that it saved Ghana $2.7 billion through its investigation, stating that the consolidated contract between SML, the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Ministry of Finance totals just over $500 million over five years.
He noted that the $2.7 billion figure cited by the OSP appears to originate from a Public Procurement Authority letter referencing an outdated approval, not the signed contract.
SML counters OSP’s claims, defends founder’s independence and track record
Awuni said that key interventions by Presidents Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and John Dramani Mahama, who suspended or terminated parts of the SML contracts, were responsible for preventing significant losses to the state before the OSP completed its investigation.
He emphasised that while the OSP may later recover funds through prosecution, its current claim of saving $2.7 billion is unsubstantiated.
Awuni concluded that with this clarification, he will end his commentary on the matter.
MRA/AE
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