ORAL: Mahama Says Attorney-General Working on 33 Corruption Cases From Akufo-Addo Era

• President John Mahama said the Attorney-General is currently building 33 cases of corruption against former government officials
• The Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) preparatory committee claimed it had identified $21.19 billion in potential recoveries
• Mahama said proceedings on the 33 cases would soon begin after meeting the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption

President John Mahama has disclosed that the Attorney-General is currently building 33 cases of corruption and related offences against former government appointees.

These cases reportedly stem from investigations conducted by the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) team into complaints against the Nana Akufo-Addo administration.

Speaking during a meeting with the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption at the Jubilee House on June 3, GBC reported that Mahama said court proceedings on the 33 cases would begin soon.

The president also said that his administration had created special investigative teams to investigate each of them.

“Some of them have found a lot of evidence of the procurement of properties with illicit wealth. With many of them, they are just at the point of beginning prosecution. Some have also started the prosecution, and others are being lined up."

The ORAL preparatory committee claimed it had identified $21.19 billion in potential recoveries from looted state assets and undervalued land sales.

At the handover of the committee’s report on February 2 in Accra, the committee held the view that some cases could boost Ghana’s financial standing.

These cases include major corruption scandals involving the National Cathedral project, Power Distribution Services (PDS), and the Saltpond decommissioning project, among others.

ORAL’s findings, for example, indicate that prime state lands were sold at shockingly low prices, leading to an estimated revenue loss of $702.8 million.

What is Operation Recover All Loot?

The ORAL committee, established on December 18, 2024, was tasked with identifying and retrieving looted state assets. The five-member preparatory team is chaired by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

It also includes former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, retired Police Commissioner Nathaniel Kofi Boakye, legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, and former journalist Raymond Archer.

The team was previously tasked to conduct fact-finding in corruption and corruption-related cases and report its findings to anti-graft agencies.

President Mahama also gave assurances that ORAL was not created as a witch-hunt against Akufo-Addo appointees after some protests.

The Minority in Parliament urged appointees to boycott the preparatory committee, arguing that its formation was not constitutional.

How Ghanaians could contact ORAL

People can report to ORAL through the toll-free number 0800 900 111 or via www.oralgh.org, while suspected corruption can be reported via email at [email protected].

At the time, Mahama's transition team assured that the confidentiality of informants who made reports would be protected.

The transition team assured that these platforms prioritise security and confidentiality to protect informants from any risk of reprisal.

Ghana drops again on Corruption Perception Index

YEN.com.gh previously reported that Ghana's rating dropped on the Global Corruption Perception Index from its 2024 rankings.

The country ranked 80th out of 180 countries and territories assessed in the latest report released by Transparency International.

The Ghana Integrity Initiative noted that this was a decline from Ghana’s score and signalled a setback in its anti-corruption efforts.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh