The Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem-Sai, has cast doubt on the US$21 billion recovery figure announced by the government’s Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Committee, saying preliminary evidence does not support such an assessment.
Srem-Sai who was speaking in an interview on GHOne TV said the amount being cited as potentially recoverable is “not a fair assessment of what can be recovered,” adding that based on evidence received so far, “it is a bit on the high side.”
His remarks mark a sharp contrast to the committee’s bullish estimate presented earlier this month, raising questions about the realism of the recovery target and the methodology used in valuing assets and alleged stolen public funds.
The ORAL Committee, chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa submitted its interim findings to President John Dramani Mahama at the Jubilee House in Accra, stating that Ghana could recover about US$20.49 billion from 36 cases involving alleged looted state funds and illegally acquired public assets.
Presenting the documents to President Mahama, Ablakwa said the committee had carried out “detailed reviews” of the cases and expressed confidence in their potential to secure major recoveries for the state if the processes are fully pursued.
He noted that the committee’s valuation included “fair market valuations on illegally acquired state lands,” from which he estimated Ghana could reclaim more than US$700 million.
President Mahama, who has vowed to make corruption “costly and unattractive,” welcomed the report and directed the Attorney-General’s office to begin the legal and investigative processes required to retrieve the funds.
Srem-Sai’s caution, however, suggests that the final recovery could fall significantly short of the committee’s projections.
His comments also indicate possible internal differences over how the figures were computed — a development analysts say may require greater transparency to maintain public confidence in the anti-corruption drive.
Source: asaaseradio.com
