Augustus Nana Kwesi Andrews, Ashanti Regional Chairman of Ghana’s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed deep dissatisfaction with the performance of Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) on Thursday, nearly a year after its launch, citing a lack of visible prosecutions that has frustrated party grassroots supporters.
ORAL, a flagship anti-corruption initiative established shortly after President John Dramani Mahama’s inauguration in January 2025, aims to recover assets misappropriated during the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. Led by figures including North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and lawyer Martin Kpebu, the committee has investigated high-profile cases but has yet to secure convictions, drawing internal and external scrutiny.
Andrews, speaking at a regional party event in Kumasi, highlighted stalled probes into the National Cathedral project, former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, and Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Wontumi). “There have been no visible prosecutions since the initiative began, a situation that has left the grassroots frustrated,” he said, emphasizing the need for “finality” to rebuild public confidence in the justice system.
The chairman proposed establishing specialized courts to expedite ORAL-related cases, arguing that swift justice would deliver closure on long-standing corruption scandals and align with the NDC’s electoral mandate to combat graft. His remarks add to mounting pressure on the Attorney-General’s Department to accelerate legal processes, amid calls from within the party for extended probes into additional deals.
ORAL emerged from NDC campaign pledges in the 2024 elections, where voters rejected the NPP over economic mismanagement and alleged corruption. The initiative has recovered preliminary assets through public tips but faces criticism for politicization. NPP spokesperson Lawuratu Musah-Saaka has labeled it a “recipe for political victimisation,” while NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia reaffirmed in October that the party remains committed to the promise, with “serious work” underway.
Andrews’ critique, from a stronghold like Ashanti — traditionally an NPP bastion but pivotal to the NDC’s 2024 victory — underscores internal tensions as the government balances accountability drives with fiscal recovery under a $3.2 billion IMF program. Analysts warn that prolonged delays could erode public trust and fuel opposition narratives ahead of 2028 polls.
The Attorney-General’s office has not commented on the criticisms, but Mahama’s administration continues to emphasize transparency reforms, including public procurement overhauls tied to ORAL.
