Government Hit With Lawsuit Over GRA Boss Appointment

 

A lawsuit has hit the presidency over the appointment of the Commissioner-General of GRA.
Mr. Anthony Sarpong was appointed by HE John Dramani Mahama on the 21^st of January 2025. 

Madam Emanuella Safowaah, the plaintiff in the suit, argues that it is illegal to appoint Mr. Anthony Sarpong as the acting Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as there is a conflict of interest. The plaintiff, wading into the discourse, further argues that Mr. Sarpong is still a senior partner at KPMG and has an interest in KPMG, and that Mr. Sarpong’s appointment as the boss of GRA is unlawful.

Furthermore, the plaintiff argues that as of 21^st January 2025, the second defendant (GRA) has no governing council, which she describes Mr. Sarpong's appointment as illegal.

Below is part of the writs of summons:

“The 2nd Defendant is a statutory body with a Governing Council that must provide advice before the President of the Republic of Ghana can appoint a Commissioner-General of the 2nd Defendant in a substantive or acting capacity. The plaintiff says that the 2nd defendant had no governing council as of 21st January 2025. The plaintiff says that KPMG has or has had a number of FEE-PAYING contractual working relationships with the 2nd defendant, with the 1st defendant as its senior partner at least until 21st January 2025 or thereabouts.”

“The Plaintiff says that the 1st Defendant was, and/or still is (the website of KPMG as of 26th January 2025 still listed the 1st Defendant as such), the Senior Partner of KPMG (a foreign accounting firm practicing in Ghana), with ‘Senior Partner’ being defined by the website of KPMG as the Chief Executive Officer of the firm.”

The plaintiff is therefore asking the court to revoke the appointment made by the president. 

The plaintiff is further requesting an injunction on the appointment of Mr. Sarpong as the GRA boss.

“Further or in the alternative to relief e), a perpetual injunction order against the Governing Council of the 2nd Defendant restraining the Council or any person acting by its authority from considering and/or proffering advice to the President of the Republic of Ghana as stipulated under Article 195 of the 1992 Constitution in respect of the appointment of the 1st Defendant, a former employee of KPMG and/or a person with an interest in KPMG or a person who had an interest in KPMG, as the Acting and/or the Commissioner-General of the GRA.”

In accordance with Article 195(1) of the Constitution and Section 13(1) of the Ghana Revenue Act, 2009 (Act 791), the appointment of Mr. Sarpong was made as the acting Commissioner-General of GRA.