SML condemns OSP raid, warns of national revenue risks – Nsemkeka
Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) has strongly condemned what it describes as an “unwarranted and unjustified” raid by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which it claims threatens the continuity of a critical national revenue assurance system.
In a statement issued Wednesday, SML said officers from the OSP, accompanied by National Security operatives, stormed its Osu and Tema offices without prior notice or the presentation of a warrant.
The operation, according to the company, resulted in the seizure of key servers, proprietary documents, gold analyzers, and other technical equipment—many still in development and crucial to SML’s support for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The company further disclosed that four employees were temporarily detained and two others assaulted during the exercise.
“We have fully cooperated with the OSP since March, submitting all requested documents and remaining open to further engagement. This raid, conducted without formal communication, undermines that spirit of cooperation,” the statement read.
Critical disruptions to revenue monitoring
SML warned of immediate and far-reaching consequences of the raid.
The company said its systems—which support real-time petroleum monitoring, fuel volume reconciliation, and 24/7 surveillance at 26 depots—have gone offline.
As a result, critical oversight mechanisms have been paused, raising concerns about a potential resurgence of tax leakages, fuel diversion, and data manipulation.
The company estimates a possible monthly loss of over GH¢348 million to the state due to service disruption.
It also highlighted the threat to its intellectual property, which it says was developed with private capital and now lies vulnerable to misuse.
SML cited its contribution of more than GH¢20 billion in additional tax revenue from May 2020 to December 2024, crediting its systems for a 92% reduction in discrepancies between GRA and National Petroleum Authority (NPA) figures.
Call for institutional dialogue
Amid rising concerns, SML has appealed to the GRA, the Ministry of Finance, and other state institutions to urgently step in.
The company is calling for the reinstatement of its systems, protection of sensitive data, and a renewed commitment to procedural fairness.
“The forceful dismantling of the nation’s only independent, real-time petroleum monitoring system risks eroding years of progress,” the company warned, framing the raid as a setback to Ghana’s digital governance gains.
Despite the setback, SML reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ghana’s development through innovation, transparency, and public-private collaboration.
“This is not a moment for division, but for dialogue,” the company said.