All you need to know about Operation-Recover-All-Loot (ORAL)

The Operation-Recover-All-Loot is a major plank under President-elect John Dramani Mahama’s anti-corruption agenda. John Mahama has vowed to make corruption costly; to severely punish perpetrators and to recover looted funds and assets for national development.

President Mahama has also pledged other far-reaching measures such as a constitutional review and banning his appointees and politically exposed person from buying state assets.

Why ORAL

•Investigating Corruption Cases: Establishing a specialized task force to scrutinize suspected corruption
•cases under previous administration.
•Recovering Misappropriated State Resources: Prioritizing the retrieval of stolen state funds, property, and other assets for national development projects.
•Prosecuting Offenders: Committing to prosecuting individuals or entities found guilty of embezzling public resources, including members of the outgoing NPP government and serving as a deterrent to future offenders.

Mandate of the ORAL Team:
• Preparatory Framework Towards President Mahama’s Anti-corruption Drive
• Evidence Gathering
• Transitional Arrangement for Whistleblowers

Corruption Index
Ghana's Corruption Perception Index, which peaked at an all-time high of 48 points in 2014, dropped to a low of 40 during the Akufo-Addo-led NPP administration.

The Auditor General's report highlights a growing trend of irregularities, further exacerbating the country's corruption perception.

By fostering accountability and improving governance, ORAL seeks to create a stable and trustworthy business environment, reassuring Ghanaians of restoring integrity to public administration.

The Case for ORAL
The Auditor-General's 2023 report indicates significant financial irregularities among public boards, corporations, and statutory institutions to the tune of GH¢8.80 billion.

According to the Auditor General, the majority of these irregularities are considered RECOVERABLE, encompassing debts among governmental agencies, overdue receivables, and unretired imprests.

GH₵25 Billion Banking Sector Clean Up
Between 2017 and 2020, President Akufo-Addo's administration restructured Ghana's banking sector, addressing widespread insolvency and regulatory breaches. The Bank of Ghana revoked licenses of several banks and merged them into entities like Consolidated Bank Ghana to protect depositors and ensure stability.

This intervention which was estimated to cost taxpayers some GHS 12.7 billion later ballooned into a whopping GH₵25 billion.

Luxurious Presidential Private Jet Travels
President Akufo-Addo's use of luxury private jets for international travel sparked significant controversy particularly given Ghana's economic challenges and the availability of a functional presidential jet.

In spite of government's refusal to disclose detailed information about these travel expenses, citing national security concerns, the substantial costs incurred are estimated to have cost the Ghanaian taxpayer between GHS 2.8 million and GHS 4 million per trip.

Payment of Salaries to Cathedral Board
On September 30, 2024, three top officials—Dr. Paul Opoku Mensah, Rev. Father Ebenezer Saka Ameyaw, and Mrs. Rebecca Lovia Martechoo Yakpo—were set to receive their September salaries totalling GHS2.2 million over 31 months, despite public outrage regarding the project's wastefulness, on a Cathedral Project, which has seen no work since March 2022.

US$108 Million Ambulan ce Scandal
An analysis of this dubiously outrageous transaction includes $34.9 million for spare parts for 307 ambulances which translates into US$113,695 per ambulance. Instructively our checks from some Mercedes Benz ambulance dealers across the world shows that US$113,695 is far more than the value of any fully equipped ambulance.

US$2.8 Million Sputnik V Vaccine Scandal
The Sputnik V vaccine scandal exposed an attempt by the government to procure vaccines at inflated prices, with reports showing a cost of $19 per dose instead of the expected $10. However, the vaccines were never delivered. Investigations into intermediaries, including one Sheik Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, revealed even higher pricing, raising concerns about value for taxpayers, the absence of parliamentary oversight, and potential corruption.

GH₵21.3 Billion COVID Expenditure
The Akufo-Addo government spent GH₵ 21.3 billion in COVID-19 funds, with the Auditor General's report highlighting several infractions in fund disbursement. These include payments to service providers outside the GIFMIS system, failure to withhold taxes on payments to Smart Infraco Limited, inflated project costs, and other irregularities.

US$130 Million Frontiers Covid Testing Scandal
The Frontiers COVID-19 Airport Testing scandal implicates the Akufo-Addo Bawumia government in a corrupt contract that prioritized profit over public health. Despite attempts to block information disclosure, documents reveal that:

• Frontiers was chosen without a competitive process.
• Procurement laws were violated.
• Key health institutions were excluded.
• Frontiers charged $150 per test but the government received only $10.
• Legal regulatory requirements were ignored.
• The contract allowed for two years of operation regardless of the pandemic's status.
• It is estimated that Frontiers’ exploitation earned them over US$130 million.

US$11.9 Million Payment for Abandoned Pwalugu Dam project
US$11.9 million dollars paid to Messrs Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA), as part payment for the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose dam for no work done.

GH₵250 Million Single-Sourced and Inflatedcontract awarded to Resource Access Limited belonging to Bawumia’s brother
According to the Auditor General’s Report, this contract was not only single-sourced but also heavily inflated. Recent findings reveal the company secured substantial payments for various projects including military road rehabilitations, raising concerns about conflict of interest since Bawumia oversaw the Ghana Armed Forces Council.

GH₵85 Million Stadia Renovation
• Esipon
• Tamale
• Accra

These shady single-sourced contracts were awarded to President Akufo-Addo's cousin Kelvin Ofori-Atta and yet Ghana ended up being banned by CAF for stadia that were below standard because
no work was done.

Unconscionable US$48 Million (GHS602 Million) “Operational Expenses” for the 13TH African Games
Intercepted documents confirm that despite Parliament’s approval of only GH₵100million, President Akufo-Addo instructed the LOC to send out official request letters as recent as February 13, 2024 in defiance of Parliament for an unlawful and unjustifiable US$48million (GH₵602million).

It must be noted that this staggering US$48million is an entirely different amount from the mega US$195million (GHS2.4billion) already spent on infrastructure for the games.

An additional US$15 million was spent on athlete meals, along with US$4.5 million on accreditation for journalist.

Below is the estimated Cost of Financial Scandals Listed in US$

• US$58 Million National Cathedral Sinkhole
• US$108 Million Ambulance Scandal
• US$2.8 Million Sputnik V
• US$130 million Frontiers Covid Testing
• US$222.7 Bank of Ghana HQ
• US$11.9 Pwalugu Dam
• US$48 Million All Africa Games
• US$29.5 Million All Africa Games feeding & Accreditation
• US$3 Billion SML scam
• US$6.8 Million luxury Jet travels
• US$1.7 Billion Banking Sector Clean Up
• US$150,000 cathedral Executives
• US$1.45 Billion COVID Expenditure
• US$17 Million Resource Access
• US$5.8 Million Stadia Renovation
• US$5.4 Billion BoG Illegal Money Printing
• US$6.4 Million Westblue Scandal
• US$3,400 Lamens Investments fine
• US$176 Million Health Sector Digitalisation
• US$12 Million Agyapa pay off
• US$190 Million PDS Scandal
• US$24 Million Pullman Hotel Tax Waiver
• US$2 Million Skytrain Project
• US$38.2 Million Visa Processing Scandal
• US$36 Million Covid-19 Smart Workplace Project
• US$8.5 Million Blackstars Afcon Budget
• US$178.7 Single Sourced DRIP Deal
• US$33.3 Million Boankra Inland Port
• US$4.5 Billion NSS Scandal
• US$48 Million Ascend Digital Solutions Deal
Total - US$18,441,866,237