Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has dismissed allegations that the Mahama administration is using the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative to persecute political opponents.
Dr Ayine insists that the cases being pursued under ORAL are based on extensive investigations, forensic audits and documentary evidence capable of standing up to scrutiny.
Speaking at a Resetting Ghana Citizens Engagement in Bolgatanga during President John Dramani Mahama’s tour of the Upper East Region, the Attorney-General said the President had been clear that ORAL investigations and prosecutions must not be conducted in a manner that creates the impression of political persecution.
According to him, the ORAL preparatory committee submitted its report to the Presidency in February 2025, following preliminary investigations into alleged corruption.
He disclosed that his office subsequently built 34 dockets from the report and completed investigations into all 34 cases, with several being prepared for filing in court.
Dr Ayine said multiple state institutions, including investigative agencies and forensic auditors, had been involved in establishing the facts.
He cited the audit into the National Cathedral as one example, noting that the Auditor-General was directed to conduct the exercise, with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) later submitting its report.
The Attorney-General also rejected claims that ORAL cases were failing in court or being deliberately delayed.
He said he had filed five corruption-related cases within his first year in office, arguing that historical corruption cases under previous administrations often took several years to conclude.
Dr Ayine pointed to the National Signal Bureau case, where the prosecution has presented documentary evidence alleging that GH¢16.5 million in public funds was transferred from a public account into a private company’s account and subsequently used for private purposes.
He, however, cautioned against making prejudicial comments on cases currently before the courts.
The Attorney-General further clarified that ORAL is not limited to the original 34 dockets. He said investigations were also ongoing into other matters, including activities of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Local Government, formerly headed by Dennis Aboagye.
Dr Ayine expressed confidence that Ghanaians would begin to see tangible results from the prosecutions “sooner than later.”
He maintained that ORAL is intended to promote accountability and recover public resources allegedly lost through corruption, rather than target political opponents.
The Attorney-General’s comments were reported on August 17, 2026, following his engagement in Bolgatanga.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah, Ahotoronline, Accra
