In an attempt to tackle corruption and mismanagement of public funds, President-elect John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday, December 18, announced a five-member team to spearhead the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) flagship programme, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL).

This initiative, central to Mahama’s anti-corruption campaign, aims to recover looted state resources, enforce accountability, and ensure good governance in Ghana.

ORAL is a cornerstone of Mahama’s governance strategy, prominently featured in his 120-day social contract agenda.

During his campaign, he vowed to make corruption costly by implementing measures to punish perpetrators severely and recover misappropriated public funds. These efforts, he emphasised, are critical to financing national development and restoring public trust in government institutions.

To further solidify his commitment, Mahama pledged other transformative reforms, including a constitutional review to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms and a ban on the purchase of state assets by appointees and politically exposed persons.

The urgency of ORAL’s mission is underscored by alarming findings in the Auditor-General’s 2023 report, which highlighted financial irregularities across public boards, corporations, and statutory institutions amounting to GH¢8.80 billion. Most of these irregularities, categorised as recoverable, include interagency debts, overdue receivables, and unretired impress.

The ORAL Team

A circular issued by the Office of the President-elect formally introduced the five-member team tasked with implementing ORAL.

The team comprises individuals with diverse expertise in law, auditing, law enforcement, and investigative journalism, ensuring a comprehensive approach to tackling corruption:

1. Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa – Chairman

2. Mr. Daniel Domelovo – Former Auditor-General

3. COP (Rtd.) Nathaniel Kofi Boakye – Retired Police Commissioner

4. Mr. Martin Kpebu – Private Legal Practitioner

5. Mr. Raymond Archer – Investigative Journalist

Mandate

The ORAL team’s mandate is threefold:

1. Investigating Corruption Cases: Establishing a specialised task force to scrutinise suspected corruption under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

2. Recovering Misappropriated State Resources: Tracing and reclaiming public funds and assets misused or stolen.

3. Prosecuting Offenders: Collaborating with law enforcement agencies to ensure the prosecution of individuals implicated in corruption.

Cases

1. Presidential Jet Scandal

One of the high-priority cases under the ORAL team’s scrutiny is President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s controversial use of luxury private jets for international travel. Despite the availability of a functional presidential jet, the president reportedly opted for private jets, incurring costs estimated between GH¢2.8 million and GH¢4 million per trip.

The government’s refusal to disclose detailed travel expenses under the guise of national security concerns only fueled public outrage, particularly given the country’s economic challenges.

2. National Cathedral Project

The stalled $58 million National Cathedral project has also raised red flags. Investigations revealed substantial payments to contractors and consultants without corresponding progress on the project. For instance, architect Sir David Adjaye reportedly received GH¢113 million, while Cary Summers, CEO of Nehemiah Group, was paid $6 million for coordination.

Despite these expenditures, the project has only managed to raise GH¢794,990.01 from the public, sparking allegations of financial mismanagement and corruption.

Additionally, salaries totalling GH¢2.2 million were paid to top officials associated with the project over 31 months, despite the lack of progress since March 2022.

3. Ambulance Procurement Scandal

The procurement of ambulances for Ghana’s health sector is another case of interest. Reports indicate that $34.9 million was spent on spare parts for 307 ambulances, averaging an exorbitant **$113,695 per ambulance**.

4. Sputnik V Vaccine Scandal

The ORAL team will also revisit the Sputnik V vaccine scandal, where vaccines were procured at an inflated price of $19 per dose instead of the standard $10. To make matters worse, the vaccines were never delivered.

Investigations have pointed to intermediaries, including Sheik Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, whose involvement raised questions about the government’s procurement practices and oversight mechanisms.