By Francisca Amoakoa
The CEO of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Dr. Patrick Ofori, has urged the Ghana Revenue Authority to explain the rationale behind instructing the Strategic Mobilisation Authority (SML) to resume its activities in the downstream petroleum sector. This request follows the GRA’s directive for SML to restart its monitoring operations in the sector starting on June 14, 2024.
In response to the GRA’s directive, citing President Akufo-Addo’s instructions based on the KPMG report, Dr. Ofori emphasised the importance of the revenue authority providing concrete data to support why SML should either continue operating independently or be assimilated into existing monitoring systems like the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS).
Dr. Ofori, during an interview on Eyewitness News on Friday, June 21, highlighted the need for GRA to present evidence showing the potential revenue losses during the period when SML’s operations were suspended.
This data would serve as a benchmark for evaluating whether SML should be maintained as is or merged into the current ERDMS and ICUMS frameworks.