The political landscape is heating up with the launch of President-elect John Dramani Mahama’s “Operation Recover All Loot” (ORAL) initiative.
Chairman of the five-member ORAL committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has clarified the group’s mandate in an interview on TV3’s Ghana Tonight show on Wednesday, December 18.
According to Mr. Ablakwa ORAL’s primary function is data collection. “Our mandate is very limited and clear, which is to gather evidence,” he stated.
The North Tongu MP said his team will compile information on suspected acts of corruption committed by public officials during the outgoing administration. This evidence will then be handed over to the relevant state agencies for further investigation and prosecution once Mahama is sworn in.
No Overlap with Existing Institutions
Addressing concerns about its potential to become a parallel structure, Ablakwa assured viewers that ORAL is not designed to duplicate the work of existing institutions like the Office of the Special Prosecutor. He asserted, “We are not prosecutors, we are not judges, we are not going to pronounce anybody guilty.”
However, questions remain about the necessity of a separate fact-finding team. Mrs. Mary Awelena Addah, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), expressed concerns during the same interview. “We only need to ensure that what the president has said, he will do so,” she said, urging Mahama to utilize existing institutions and build upon their efforts.
The ORAL committee comprises of experienced individuals, including former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, retired Commissioner of Police Nathaniel Kofi Boakye, private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, and investigative journalist Raymond Archer. Their collective expertise is expected to contribute significantly to the evidence-gathering process.
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The Operation Recover All Loot for many Ghanaians is a sign of President-elect Mahama’s commitment to tackling corruption and restoring public trust in government.
Whether this initiative will solely strengthen existing anti-graft efforts or create a parallel structure remains to be seen. Only time will tell if ORAL fulfills its promise of accountability and recovery of stolen public funds.
