President John Dramani Mahama has directed the immediate cancellation of all contracts awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) following the completion of investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The directive marks a decisive move to end what has been widely described as one of the most controversial and inflated contract arrangements in Ghana’s recent history.
According to Mannasseh Azure Awuni, who was the lead investigator in the controversial contract, the cancellation affects all existing SML contracts across the downstream petroleum, upstream petroleum, and mining sectors.
Mannsseh strongly confirmed that all those contracts, which entitled SML to fixed revenue streams, have now been terminated with immediate effect.
The directive was contained in an official 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.”
The consolidated SML contract, spanning all three sectors, was valued at over $500 million for the first five years and was renewable for another five. With this termination, the government is estimated to have saved more than GHS 5 billion in public funds.
Appreciation
Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who played a key role in exposing the SML contracts, hailed the President’s decision as a triumph for transparency and accountability.
“President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the immediate cancellation of all SML contracts, following the completion of work by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
“The cancellation means the downstream petroleum sector, the upstream petroleum sector, and the mining sector contracts that entitled SML to fixed revenue would not be implemented”.
Mannasseh Azure Awuni
Manasseh described the SML deal as “dubious,” emphasizing that the investigation and subsequent government action had safeguarded the country’s finances.
“The consolidated SML contract from all the sectors was worth over 500 million dollars for the first five years, and it was to be renewable for another five years. Over $500 Million or GHS5 Billion + has been saved from the cancellation of SML’s dubious contracts. One day at a time”.
Mannasseh Azure Awuni
He expressed gratitude to his investigative partners, Adwoa Adobea-Owusu and Evans Aziamor-Mensah, who worked with him to uncover the questionable nature of the agreement, as well as to President Mahama for fulfilling his 2024 campaign promise to review and, where necessary, revoke irregular contracts.
“I thank my colleagues, Adwoa Adobea-Owusu and Evans Aziamor-Mensah, with whom I investigated the dubious deal masterminded by the fugitive Ken Ofori-Atta. I also thank President Mahama for acting on his promise in 2024 that the NDC government under him would not recognize the shady SML deals”.
Mannasseh Azure Awuni
The exposé, which was originally carried out by The Fourth Estate, alleged that SML’s contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) had no clear value-for-money justification, yet guaranteed the company tens of millions of dollars in annual payments.
The revelations triggered public outrage and prompted investigations by both Parliament and the OSP. The OSP’s report, completed in the month of October, 2025, confirmed substantial procurement irregularities and raised questions about the justification for SML’s services in sectors where existing monitoring mechanisms already existed.
Significance Governance Wins
In a related comment, Alfred Appiah, a data and policy analyst, described the cancellation of the SML contracts as one of two significant governance wins for the Mahama administration within the week.
“Two remarkable governance-related good news stories for the government to end the week. One is the announcement of cancellation of the obnoxious, no no-value-for-money contract with SML, and the other is the introduction of an instrument in the legislature to repeal LI 2462, the legislation that allowed mining in Ghana’s forest reserves. Kudos to the government!”
Alfred Appiah, Data and Policy Analyst
The decision to cancel the SML contracts has been widely welcomed by civil society and governance advocates, who see it as an important demonstration of political will to curb corruption and protect public resources.
Analysts say the move aligns with President Mahama’s renewed anti-corruption stance and his commitment to restore integrity and efficiency in public procurement processes.
President Mahama, who took office earlier this year, had pledged to review all major contracts entered into by the previous administration, particularly those flagged for irregularities or lack of value for money.
The SML cancellation, is likely to strengthen public confidence in his “Operation Recover All Loots” agenda, which aims to retrieve or terminate all questionable state contracts and recover misappropriated funds.
The financial and policy implications of the SML cancellation are also expected to ripple through Ghana’s fiscal framework. By eliminating the $500 million financial commitment, the government frees up critical resources that can be redirected toward social and infrastructure priorities.
Moreover, the directive reinforces the independence of anti-corruption institutions like the OSP, whose findings directly informed the government’s decision.
The SML controversy, which first came to light in 2023, revolved around allegations that the company was being paid huge sums for “monitoring” functions already being carried out by state agencies.
The deal had been linked to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, whose tenure was dogged by multiple procurement-related scandals before he fled the country amid investigations.
With this latest development, the Mahama administration has sent a strong signal that it intends to draw a clear line between public service and private profiteering.
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