SML Condemns Special Prosecutor’s Raid, Cites Threats to National Revenue Systems

Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) has issued a strong condemnation of a surprise raid conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), calling the operation “unwarranted and unjustified” and warning of serious implications for Ghana’s national revenue assurance framework.

In a statement released Wednesday, the company revealed that OSP officials, accompanied by National Security personnel, stormed its offices in Osu and Tema without prior notice or a warrant. The operation, it said, resulted in the seizure of sensitive infrastructure and documents critical to its work with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Among the items reportedly confiscated were proprietary servers, gold analyzers, and technical tools—many of which are still in development and essential to SML’s role in real-time fuel monitoring and tax reconciliation.

Disruption of Revenue Systems

SML stressed that the raid has triggered a complete shutdown of its systems, which had been operating 24/7 across 26 fuel depots to monitor petroleum volumes and detect potential tax leakages. As a result, the company warned, Ghana could face monthly revenue losses exceeding GH¢348 million, due to suspended oversight capabilities.

The company also raised alarms about the vulnerability of its intellectual property, developed through private capital investment, now at risk of misuse or compromise.

SML claims its systems have helped the state recover more than GH¢20 billion in additional tax revenue between May 2020 and December 2024. It also credited its technology with reducing discrepancies between GRA and National Petroleum Authority (NPA) data by 92%.

Allegations of Mistreatment

The company further alleged that four of its staff were temporarily detained, and two others assaulted during the operation.

“We have cooperated fully with the OSP since March, handing over all requested documents,” the statement noted. “This raid, carried out without prior communication or legal process, undermines that cooperation and damages institutional trust.”

Call for Dialogue and Intervention

SML is now appealing to key state institutions—including the Ministry of Finance and the GRA—to intervene. It is calling for immediate reinstatement of its systems, protection of sensitive company data, and a reaffirmation of procedural fairness.

“The dismantling of Ghana’s only independent, real-time petroleum monitoring system is a serious setback,” the company warned, adding that the raid could erode years of progress in digital governance and public-private sector collaboration.

Despite the disruption, SML reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and national development, urging a shift from confrontation to constructive dialogue.

“This is not a moment for division, but for cooperation,” the statement concluded.