President directs action on ORAL cases

President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice (A-G), Dr Dominic Ayine, to initiate investigations immediately into the corruption cases uncovered by the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Committee, with a view to prosecuting anyone found liable for corruption or corruption-related offences. 

The move comes after the ORAL team submitted its report to the President at the Presidency yesterday in a ceremony that was partly held behind closed doors.

“I have handed the report to the A-G to commence immediate investigations into the cases reported,” President Mahama said.

He warned those who think they can defraud the state and escape justice, stating that “Ghana is no longer a safe haven for corruption”.

President Mahama emphasised that the country's resources belonged to its people and must be utilised judiciously for their collective benefit.

He condemned the diversion of public funds for personal gain, and said it undermined development, eroded public trust and deepened inequality.

The President commended the ORAL team for its dedication and professionalism in conducting meticulous investigations, legal actions and asset recovery.

He assured the public that the recommendations contained in the report would be carefully studied and legal actions would be taken without fear or favour.

The President emphasised the importance of collective action in combating corruption, urging citizens, civil society, the media, and public officials to play their part.

President Mahama expressed his commitment to building a Ghana that was just, transparent and prosperous for generations to come.

Vindication

The Chairman of ORAL, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, explained that the team received 2,417 complaints, with 1,493 of the complaints coming through calls on the toll-free line and 924 through emails.

He said the activities of the ad hoc committee had resulted in some initial benefits for the state, including collaborations with National Security, to halt state asset takeover across the country.

Mr Ablakwa, now the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the initiative had also attracted local and international requests for forensic collaboration to recover loot hidden offshore.

“Fortunately, all the calls are recorded automatically and the emails have also been preserved for verification and validation,” the North Tongu Member of Parliament said. 

Background

The ORAL Committee was a preparatory team set up by President Mahama on December 18, last year with the mandate to gather information on suspected acts of corruption from the public and other sources.

To facilitate this, a toll-free contact number, website and email were launched just two days later to receive whistleblower tip-offs and voluntary tendering.

Over the last 53 days, the team has received many responses, including 924 emails, 44 petitions and 1,483 calls.

Prior to the launch of ORAL, the team reviewed 59 cases, which included 36 financial cases valued at a staggering $20.49 billion, as well as state lands taken over by private entities estimated at $702.8 million.

Other members of the team are former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, Commissioner of Police (COP) Nathan Kofi Boakye (retd), private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, and investigative journalist, Raymond Archer.