President John Dramani Mahama has received the report of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee, with a vow that state looters would not go unpunished.
He stated that investigations would be conducted into the claims in the report of the ORAL committee, and where applicable legal actions would be initiated. According to him, Ghana is at a crossroads, and corruption would not find space in the country.
President Mahama received the report of the ORAL Committee on Monday, February 10, 2025 where he made an emphatic statement that looters would not be let off the hook for their unpatriotic conduct.
“For those who think they can defraud the state and escape justice, let this serve as a strong warning, Ghana is no longer a safe haven for corruption,” he said.
President Mahama continued, “As we receive this report, let me assure the Ghanaian people that the work does not end here.
“The recommendations of the report will be carefully studied and where legal action and investigations are needed, they will be pursued without fear or favour.”
The president further assured that every pesewa recovered will be channeled back into national development and strengthen mechanisms to prevent such losses in the future.
ENCOURAGEMENT
The president shared some words of encouragement to those who stand for integrity, accountability and the rule of law. He assured that his government remained their steadfast partner in building a nation that rewards honesty and hard work.
The president urged all Ghanaians to do their part—citizens, civil society, the media and public officials.
He was optimistic that together, a Ghana that is just, transparent and prosperous for generations to come could be built.
THE REPORT
ORAL is an initiative to gather information about suspected cases of state looting.The ORAL committee presented a total of 2,417 cases to the President.
The report is said to highlight alleged stolen state assets, including lands and bungalows.
After receiving the report, President Mahama immediately handed it over to the Attorney General, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, for the next step.
SAVINGS
In a brief remark before handing over the report to the President, the former chairman of ORAL, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, mentioned that the government could recover as much as $21.19 billion from stolen state assets captured in the report.
Mr. Ablakwa explained that, after reviewing 36 major cases and land-related loots, the committee has the potential to reclaim this substantial sum.
He stated, “In total, considering the 36 cases, the high-value cases we’ve identified and the land-related loots, we can potentially raise about $21.19 billion.
“This is far more than what we’ve been pursuing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and subjecting ourselves to all sorts of conditionalities.”
He also took the opportunity to express his sincere gratitude to President Mahama and his team of advisors for initiating this vital project.
“We want to renew our appreciation and deep gratitude to President Mahama and his team for this initiative, which has truly served Ghana well,” he said.
Mr. Ablakwa concluded with optimism for the future, stating “We look forward to the next phase. Although we will not be directly involved, we are confident that the next phase will be successful in ensuring that resources that rightfully belong to the Ghanaian people are returned to the national coffers.”
OPPOSITION
Meanwhile, ORAL has faced fierce opposition from a section of the public, who have argued that it has no legal basis.
Some members of the New Patriotic Party have had cause to lament about what they described as Rambo-style operations of the ORAL team, harassing former government appointees in the name of retrieving looted state assets.
The post Dreaded ORAL Report Ready – There Is Fire On The Mountain… appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS