Central Regional Secretary for the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Takyi Mensah, has expressed agreement with comments made by Hon. Gideon Boako, the Member of Parliament for Tano North, and the Subin MP, regarding the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative. He described the initiative as baseless and lacking any legal foundation.
In an interview on Denkyiraman Radio’s National Agenda, Mr. Takyi noted that every minister and appointed official in the Nana Addo-led government was vetted and approved by Parliament as competent. Therefore, any actions the new government wishes to take in investigating past officials should be conducted lawfully.
“The ORAL initiative is indeed baseless and unlawful. All investigative activities in Ghana are under the jurisdiction of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police. Moreover, the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and other state-recognized bodies are responsible for surveillance operations. So, on what legal basis are Okudjeto, Domelovo, and Kofi Boakye undertaking their actions?” he questioned.
He emphasized that the law prohibits the sitting government from interfering in the affairs of past officials or past government offices in the name of combating corruption.
“If the NPP MPs are advising against honoring any invitation from ORAL, then that is well stated, and everyone should act accordingly. It is illegal; our laws do not authorize any individual to conduct investigations independently,” he added.
This controversy arises in the wake of Ghana’s 2024 general elections, where the National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by President John Dramani Mahama, has pushed forward with its bold and controversial anti-corruption initiative, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL). This initiative is a key component of Mahama’s 120-day social contract agenda, aiming to tackle corruption, recover stolen state resources, and ensure accountability within the public sector.