President-elect John Dramani Mahama has dismissed allegations that the Operation Recover All Loot (O.R.A.L) committee is a tool for political witch-hunting, clarifying its purpose as a neutral mechanism to combat corruption and recover state assets.
Addressing concerns from various stakeholders, especially those within the outgoing government, President Mahama explained that O.R.A.L is not designed to target individuals unfairly but to act as a conduit for gathering evidence of corruption. He made these remarks during a courtesy visit from the Canadian High Commission in Ghana.
“I announced the Proprietary Committee, and I think people are misunderstanding it,” he said. “We’re receiving a lot of information about corruption scandals. Some send me texts, others call, and some pass through intermediaries. We want a focal point where all that evidence is directed. The committee will assemble the evidence and pass it on to the appropriate government institutions for further investigation.”
The president-elect emphasized that O.R.A.L’s work will be conducted transparently and independently, ensuring fairness across the political spectrum. He urged all stakeholders, including civil society and political actors, to cooperate fully to strengthen the fight against corruption.
“There’s no budget or expenditure associated with their work. The team is serving pro bono, and they have no authority to investigate individuals themselves,” Mahama clarified. “I can assure people that it’s not a witch-hunting committee. They have no brooms to fly at night.”
The president-elect’s humorous yet firm remarks were aimed at easing tensions and misconceptions about the committee’s mandate.
O.R.A.L was established following public calls for accountability and greater transparency in governance, particularly in addressing allegations of corruption.
