The Minority in Parliament has instructed former government appointees to disregard any invitations from the Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) committee, branding its establishment as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
Led by the Member of Parliament for Suame, John Darko, the Minority caucus argued that the creation of ORAL is redundant, as constitutionally mandated institutions such as the Auditor-General, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) already exist to investigate and recover state assets.
Addressing the press in parliament today, Mr. Darko described ORAL as a tool for political witch-hunting, alleging that its primary purpose is to intimidate members of the previous administration.
“No serious country will entertain anything like this. We already have legally established bodies empowered by the Constitution to investigate and retrieve state assets where necessary. If you are a former government official and receive an invitation from this so-called ORAL committee, the Minority’s advice is simple boycott it,” he declared.
The Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) committee was established on December 18, 2024, and is chaired by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. According to its mandate, the committee is tasked with recovering alleged looted state resources and ensuring accountability for mismanagement during the previous administration.
However, the Minority has criticized the committee’s formation, arguing that its establishment violates due process and undermines existing constitutional bodies.
The Minority believes the ORAL committee is not only unconstitutional but also serves as a partisan mechanism to discredit former government officials and the achievements of the past administration.
“This is not about recovering state assets. It is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputation of former appointees of the previous government. This committee was designed to create an environment of fear and intimidation among those who served in public office,” Mr. Darko stated.
He further emphasized that such actions undermine Ghana’s democracy and erode public trust in governance.
“Instead of allowing these bodies to operate independently and within the law, this government has chosen to sideline them and create an unconstitutional body to carry out their political agenda. This is unacceptable,” Mr. Darko argued.
“We will not participate in this farce. The ORAL committee has no legal basis, and its activities are an affront to the principles of justice and fair play. If this government is serious about accountability, they must empower the appropriate institutions to do their work without interference,”.
Boycott invitations from ORAL team – Minority tells former gov’t appointees #CitiVerify #ElectionBureau pic.twitter.com/wWtazdN9Jj
— ChannelOne TV (@Channel1TVGHA) January 15, 2025
