Growing public frustration over the pace of prosecutions under the government’s flagship anti-corruption drive, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), has triggered sharp political debate, with government officials insisting that the initiative was never designed as a tool for mass arrests or politically motivated imprisonments.
Minister of State in Charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, moved to calm rising tensions among supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), stating clearly that the party never promised extrajudicial actions or automatic jailing of officials from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaking on national television, Kwakye Ofosu explained that ORAL was conceived as a lawful, constitutional process grounded in investigations, due process, asset recovery, and court-based prosecutions — not mob justice or politically driven incarceration.
According to him, over 100 former government appointees have already been investigated under ORAL, with processes ongoing, stressing that “those claiming ORAL is not working are often those directly affected by the investigations.”
His comments come amid visible disappointment among sections of the NDC grassroots, many of whom had interpreted campaign rhetoric about “state looting” to mean swift arrests and imprisonment of former NPP officials
On social media, party supporters have openly criticised the Attorney-General’s Department for what they describe as a failure to secure convictions, accusing the justice system of moving too slowly and shielding politically connected figures.
The issue gained national attention during the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President John Dramani Mahama, who acknowledged public impatience but defended the government’s approach as one rooted in the rule of law.
The President disclosed that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) had recovered more than GH₵600 million as of December 2025, investigated 462 cases, and had 15 cases currently under prosecution, alongside the dismantling of transnational criminal syndicates and the recovery of 29 stolen luxury vehicles.
Mahama emphasised that corruption would not be tolerated “regardless of status or political affiliation,” but warned against shortcuts to justice, referencing the constitutional history and the dangers of extrajudicial actions under past regimes.
He reaffirmed his oath to uphold the 1992 Constitution and insisted that investigations, prosecutions, and appeals must follow legal procedures to protect citizens’ rights and ensure credible convictions.
Adding to the debate, Walewale MP Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama criticised ORAL’s performance, arguing that the initiative had promised to retrieve billions of dollars and that anything short of that should be considered a failure — a position that reflects growing scepticism in opposition ranks.
Meanwhile, the NPP has seized on the situation to mock the NDC, claiming that despite political rhetoric, “not even one cedi” had been retrieved through arrests, and accusing the ORAL process of being more of a political campaign tool than a genuine prosecution mechanism.
However, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a former member of the ORAL team, defended the programme in a public statement following the SONA.
He described the GH₵600 million recovery as “impressive,” confirmed the 462 investigations and 15 active prosecutions, and quoted former President John Evans Atta Mills, saying: “The wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.”
Okudzeto Ablakwa further stated that President Mahama’s pledge to uphold accountability “with determination” demonstrates unwavering commitment to the ORAL mandate, adding: “We shall not fail Ghanaians.”
Beyond party politics, the controversy highlights a deeper national tension between public demand for swift justice and the constitutional requirement for due process.
While supporters want visible jail terms as proof of accountability, government officials maintain that asset recovery, investigations, and lawful prosecutions — not political revenge — remain the true objectives of ORAL.
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