The establishment of the Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) initiative by President John Dramani Mahama was a commendable move, supported by a dedicated and selfless team. Among the team members was Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, alongside other distinguished individuals such as former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, retired Commissioner of Police Nathaniel Kofi Boakye, private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, and investigative journalist Raymond Archer. Notably, these members worked without any financial compensation, a gesture that stands as a laudable contribution to national development.
The findings of this investigation must be used by the Auditor-General to surcharge some of the culprits before any legal proceedings are initiated. Mensah Thompson, Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), shared this perspective during an appearance on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra.
Thompson also pointed out that a similar investigation had been carried out by the previous government under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2017, which sought to scrutinize the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its financial impact on taxpayers. However, he praised Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s leadership, describing it as selfless and indicating that it had brought a new direction to the country’s development.
He emphasized that while eradicating corruption is a difficult task, it is one that must be minimized. He believes that the work of the ORAL team provides a platform to integrate their efforts with existing anti-corruption institutions to combat corruption at all levels of governance.
In related news, former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, a member of the ORAL committee, has called for stricter oversight of individuals in public office. He highlighted the necessity to curb the misuse of government resources and enforce penalties for misconduct. Domelevo’s comments came after the committee, chaired by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, presented its report to President Mahama. He expressed deep concern over the rampant abuse of power by officials entrusted with managing public funds and assets.
“What shocked me the most was the extreme abuse of public office, where officials entrusted with public funds or government property use them for personal gain, or allocate them to themselves or their cronies,” Domelevo stated. He lamented the absence of consequences for such behavior, which he believes has created a culture of impunity within the system of governance.
Despite this, Domelevo expressed cautious optimism about recent developments, particularly the president’s stance on accountability. “The president’s body language and posturing are heartwarming. For the first time, we’re seeing genuine seriousness, not in terms of declaring anyone guilty, but by collecting information from the public. If the president proceeds with the next stage of this process, which I consider crucial, we will save significant sums of money.”
Domelevo also reiterated the importance of ending the misuse of public office for personal or political gain, stressing that officials should not assume their positions entitle them to exploit public property for personal benefit or that of their associates.
He further praised the president’s comprehensive approach to tackling corruption, emphasizing that it was not only about addressing the wrongdoing of previous governments but also about preventing future abuses. “One thing that pleased me was the fact that the president didn’t just focus on ORAL, but also on OPAL—Operation Prevent All Loots. While it’s important to address the leakages that have already occurred, we must also prevent further leaks,” Domelevo explained. “It’s not just about holding past governments accountable while continuing the same practices. To me, this is a positive step, and we hope to see concrete action in the near future.”
Story By: Alexander
