Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the majority leader, has defended the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) contract with Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), asserting that it did not require parliamentary approval.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, 5th June, 2024 Afenyo Markin said the contract between GRA and SML, a wholly Ghanaian-owned company, is not subject to parliamentary approval, despite its multi-year nature.
He emphasised that the demands for parliamentary scrutiny are based on a misinterpretation of the law.
“Our argument is that this is wrong because if you read the Act, which refers to Article 181 of the constitution, the article has various sub-clauses.
Article 181(5) talks about an international commercial transaction. So local contracts or MoUs or agreements of multi-year value, but are local, cannot come under the anticipation of Article 181(5),” Afenyo Markin explained.
He criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for creating confusion and spreading misinformation, which he believes negatively impacts business and the economy.
“Some of their pronouncements are affecting industry and the economy. They are recklessly scaring businessmen with what is not true, attempting to sabotage the economy,” he added.
Some members of the NDC have publicly announced and agreed that the contract between the GRA and SML requires parliamentary approval, citing KPMG’s recommendation for an “orderly resolution” which includes obtaining parliamentary consent.
But the majority leader called for fact-based discussions, particularly in the run-up to the elections, highlighting that the opposition should focus on concrete initiatives rather than political mischief.
“Let’s argue on facts. The NDC has had the benefit of being in opposition and learning from their mistakes. The question is whether their flag bearer has come out with any bold initiative to challenge the status quo,” he stated.
The majority leader also highlighted the achievements of the current administration compared to the previous government.
“They have been in power before. They were in office for eight years. There were things that they could not do. The very things they said they could not do, we have come into office and we’ve done them. Dr. Bawumia has put out his vision,” he noted.
He also questioned the opposition’s preparedness and vision for the future. “The flag bearer of the NDC, who has been president before, was elected as flag bearer two years ago. Up to date, we have not had any big announcement from him.
“There is nothing from the NDC that will turn the corner for the economy. Nothing! What they are engaging in is the usual political mischief and falsehood,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the following is the transcription of what the majority leader said at the Press Conference;
My point here is that you cannot get up and generalize it. Let me give you an example of the GRA-SML contract, for instance. SML is a Ghanaian company. A wholly owned Ghanaian company registered in Ghana. And it was their demand that the SML contract should have come to parliament because it’s a multi-year contract. Our argument is that it is wrong because if you read the act, which Act refers to Article 181 of the constitution.
Now the Article 181 has various sub clauses. So it is for them to pay attention to the aspects of the law that will require parliamentary approval. And I’m saying that Act 1815 talks about an international commercial transaction.
So local contracts or MoUs or agreements of multi-year value, but are local, and cannot come under the anticipation of article 1815.
But they are just throwing it in, confusing people. And for me as a businessman, I know the effect of said pronouncement on business and the economy.
Some of their pronouncements affecting industry and it is affecting the economy because you see, for example, we know about.
They are recklessly scaring businessmen with what is not true, attempting to sabotage the economy. So I would want to encourage them that yes we know it’s an election year but let’s argue on facts.
Let’s put out the facts. They have been in power before. They were in office for eight years.
There were things that they could not do. The very things they said they could not do, we have come into office and we’ve done them. Dr. Bawumia has put out his vision.
They have had the benefit of being in opposition and perhaps even learning from their mistake. The question is whether their flag bearer has come out with any bold initiative to challenge the status quo. The flag bearer of the NDC who has been president before ,was elected as flag bearer two years ago.
Up to date we have not had any big announcement from him. There is nothing from the NDC that will turn the corner of the economy. Nothing.
What they are engaging in is the usual political mischief and falsehood.
