A former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Stephen Adei, has criticised the composition of the Ablakwa-led Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) team, stating that it could have been better structured.
In his view, the inclusion of known members and sympathisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the team gives the initiative a political undertone, which, he believes, could make its outcomes less acceptable and respected by the public.
Despite his reservations about the composition, Prof Adei commended the establishment of the ORAL team as a promising first step in the fight against corruption.
Speaking on Hot Issues on TV3 on Sunday, December 22, he stated:
“First of all, there is no legal basis for ORAL unless after January 7th they pass a law. It can only be investigative and advisory. But it shows, hopefully, Mahama’s seriousness to deal with corruption. ORAL, as it is, seems focused on discovery and passing findings to the appropriate authorities.
“I think it should be maintained to unearth corruption and hold bodies like the OSP, EOCO, and CHRAJ accountable by following through with prosecutions. While I like the competence of the members, most are openly NDC or NDC sympathisers. This is what undermines such efforts. What do you expect my nephew Ablakwa to do? He would have to act against the NPP. There are many competent and non-partisan individuals who could have been included.”
He continued:
“For example, if you included someone like Emil Short, the outcome would be respected by all. He wouldn’t be swayed by an NPP or NDC person. The composition could have been more balanced. If you include Domelevo, that’s fine, but why not add Emil Short to balance things out? The job of ORAL is not legally binding; anyone they summon can refuse to speak to them.
“It is a good beginning, but they must ensure it doesn’t appear to be just an NDC or NPP agenda. Corruption must be tackled surgically, and I support that in principle.”
Meanwhile, the Chair of the ORAL team, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, clarified that their work would cease once an Attorney-General is appointed by President John Dramani Mahama, approved by Parliament, and sworn into office.
He stated that all findings and reports compiled by the team would be handed over to the Attorney-General for further action. Speaking on The Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, December 21, he explained:
“As the chair said, we are going to give the report to the Attorney-General. Once that happens, the committee will cease to function. The government will establish the appropriate frameworks to take over.”
Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah criticised the ORAL team, accusing them of throwing out baseless corruption allegations against innocent individuals. He argued that the figures and issues being presented lacked sufficient detail and justification.
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Speaking on The Key Points on December 21, he said:
“They are just playing to the gallery, politicising the issue, and targeting innocent people. This approach is bound to fail. The members of the ORAL team are opening themselves up to defamation suits.”
He further argued that the ORAL team lacked a constitutional basis:
“This is an unconstitutional body with no legal backing. It’s a populist approach. We have solid institutions like EOCO, OSP, and CHRAJ that are mandated to handle anti-corruption cases. ORAL has no investigative or prosecutorial powers.”
Mary Addah, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), also described ORAL as a populist idea meant to appease the public. While acknowledging the competence of its members, she suggested that President-elect Mahama could have taken a different approach.
She said:
“We must learn from past experiences. Similar committees have been formed before, like those under Akufo-Addo, with no significant outcomes. Institutions such as the OSP and CHRAJ already exist to handle corruption issues. Directing citizens to send their concerns to these bodies would have been a better approach.
“We support the fight against corruption and want to see tangible results, but our institutions must be allowed to function effectively. ORAL appears to be a populist idea, receiving public complaints without clearly defined processes.”
President-elect John Mahama earlier stated that the team is not going to investigate anybody.
Mr Mahama clarified that the team is only a focal point to revive information on acts of corruption by officials for onward submission to the state bodies to act on them.
He said “With regards to ORAL, I announced the preparatory committee and people are confused. We are receiving a lot of information on things that are going wrong, corruption scandals and all that., some send me texts on my phones, some call me, others pass through other people. We want a focal point where all the evidence can be directed so that they can assemble the evidence once we come into office.
“ORAL is not going to be investigating people, it is going to gather evidence and pass on the evidence to the institutions that are supposed to do that kind of work. If people have information that they think is useful in the fight against corruption, pass it on to the team. the team is not expecting any payment, there is no budget associated with it.”
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