THE ISLAMABAD MOU: WALKING THE RAZOR’S EDGE OF A FRAGILE PEACE

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Read more Four months of intense military conflict between the United States and Iran have culminated in a high-stakes diplomatic gamble. Following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 14, 2026, the theater of conflict has rapidly shifted from missile corridors in the Persian Gulf to negotiation tables in Doha, Qatar. Yet, as both nations attempt to pivot toward an exit strategy, structural disagreements, sudden military flare-ups, and fierce domestic political pressure threaten to upend the delicate framework before it can be fully implemented. The Diplomatic Framework and Financial Pivots The Islamabad MoU represents the first concrete structural blueprint aimed at ending the active war footing and lifting the crushing naval blockades that have paralyzed regional commerce. Central to the immediate framework is a major financial and economic concession: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets held in Qata...
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OSP Declares Former Finance Ministry Advisor Wanted in SML Corruption Probe

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Kumasi, Ghana – The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has escalated its investigation into alleged corruption surrounding the controversial Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML) contract, declaring Mr. Ernest Darko Akore, a former Chef de Cabinet (Technical Advisor) at the Ministry of Finance, as a wanted person.

In a public notice issued today, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the OSP announced that an arrest warrant for the 67-year-old Akore was issued by the High Court's Criminal Division. He is being sought in connection with ongoing investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses tied to the Revenue Assurance Contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and SML.

Mr. Akore, believed to hold dual Ghanaian-American nationality, with a history of possessing an American passport, is suspected by authorities to be in hiding in various countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, or South Africa. The OSP has urged the public to provide any credible information regarding his whereabouts through dedicated WhatsApp hotlines: 0554494499 and 0554484488.


The SML contract has been a subject of intense public scrutiny and accusations of corruption. Under the previous Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government, SML was engaged by the GRA to provide real-time monitoring and audit services to enhance tax compliance and revenue assurance, initially in the downstream petroleum sector. The scope of the contract was significantly expanded in 2023 to include upstream petroleum activities and the mining sector, drawing widespread criticism.

The government subsequently suspended the contract in 2024 following an audit by KPMG, which confirmed several irregularities. By the time of its suspension, an amount of GH¢1.06 billion had already been paid to SML, with projections indicating a total cost to the state of GH¢5.17 billion over five years if the contract had continued.

This development comes as the OSP intensifies its efforts in the SML probe. The Office previously declared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta a wanted person in connection with the SML deal and other matters, issuing an Interpol red notice against him in June 2025. Furthermore, the OSP conducted raids on SML's offices in Osu and Tema in June, reportedly detaining three directors as part of the ongoing investigation.

The declaration of Ernest Darko Akore as a wanted person signifies a further step in the OSP's commitment to unraveling the full extent of alleged irregularities and bringing those responsible to justice in what has become one of Ghana's most high-profile corruption investigations.

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