Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has alleged that former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta played a central role in extending the controversial Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contracts to the mining and petroleum sectors, despite objections from key regulatory agencies.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor is currently preparing to press charges against several individuals linked to the SML contracts, including Mr. Ofori-Atta, following investigations that uncovered alleged corruption, procurement breaches, and abuse of office in the award and execution of the agreements.
The OSP has described the contracts as unnecessary and “blighted by statutory breaches,” with investigations showing that SML lacked both the infrastructure and competence to perform the services it was contracted to deliver. Legal proceedings are expected to begin before the end of November 2025.
Speaking in an interview following revelations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on the SML-GRA deal, Manasseh said his investigations showed that neither the Minerals Commission nor the Petroleum Commission — the statutory regulators of those sectors — were consulted before the extensions were approved.
“When we saw this outrageous contract extending the services to the mining and oil-producing sectors, we wrote to the Minerals Commission and they said they knew nothing about it,” Manasseh stated. “We wrote to the Petroleum Commission — they are the sector implementers and regulators of the petroleum sector — and they also said they knew nothing about it. But Ken Ofori-Atta sat in his office and determined, according to the letter, that the services of SML were needed there.”
The journalist further claimed that the commissions had no evidence of revenue leakages to justify the involvement of another company.
“We asked these agencies if they had any reports or evidence that there were leakages that required a third company. They said no,” he added.
Manasseh accused the former Finance Minister of being deeply involved in the controversial deal, describing him as “the mastermind” behind what he called an “outrageous contract.”
“So, Ken Ofori-Atta, contrary to what people think — that the buck stops with him — is very much deeply involved in it, and there is evidence to that effect,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the immediate termination of all contracts between the Government of Ghana and SML following the conclusion of an investigation by the OSP.
This directive was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama, and addressed to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson. The letter instructed the Finance Minister to take immediate steps to end all existing agreements involving SML.
