By Deborah Pofara Luu
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Chairman of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Committee, has detailed ten key benefits of the anti-corruption initiative led by President John Dramani Mahama.
Ablakwa spoke during the handover of the committee’s report, emphasizing ORAL’s significant role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and the recovery of state assets.
Established on December 18, 2024, ORAL is a central part of Mahama’s 120-day social contract agenda, designed to combat corruption, recover misappropriated state resources, and promote accountability within Ghana’s public sector.
Ablakwa emphasized that ORAL has “deepened transparency and accountability,” making government officials more aware of their responsibilities and increasing public awareness of the need to protect state assets.
Key achievements and benefits of ORAL, as outlined by Ablakwa:
- Preventing the demolition of 50 government bungalows.
- Protecting Northern Development Authority lands from unauthorized takeovers.
- Halting illegal changes to number plates of state vehicles.
- Preventing unauthorized takeovers of state assets
- Resolving the Du Bois Centre dispute.
- Securing agricultural lands at Cantonments.
- Preventing the demolition of staff quarters at Ghana Museums.
- Providing a channel for citizens to report looting.
- Encouraging voluntary refunds of looted assets.
- Attracting international forensic support to trace funds hidden offshore.
Ablakwa noted that ORAL created a platform for people to return state assets, adding, “Quite a number of persons of interest have reached out, seeking an opportunity to refund and return what belongs to the Ghanaian people”.
Ablakwa highlighted the potential financial impact of ORAL’s work: “If we are successful in recoveries, we can retrieve as much as $20.49 billion from 36 cases, plus $702.8 million from land assets—amounting to $21.19 billion”. The committee reviewed over 700 petitions from the public.
