PTAAM-Ghana pleads with Mahama to ensure ORAL works

The Positive Transparency and Accountability Movement has urged President John Dramani Mahama to guarantee the effectiveness of the ORAL initiative amid growing public concerns.

Vice President of the group, Rashid Issah, raised the concerns during a presidential meeting with Civil Society Organizations at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, questioning the pace and transparency of ongoing accountability efforts.

Issah pointed to mounting controversies surrounding the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) programme, particularly whether the Attorney General is delivering adequately on his mandate.

He stressed that citizens were closely monitoring developments and expected clarity on how corruption-related cases are being handled.

“On accountability, we would like to remind us about the work of ORAL. There has been a lot of controversy about what we are doing with them,” Issah said.

“We would like to know if the Attorney General is failing on his mandate.”

He also highlighted dissatisfaction with a recent recruitment process tied to the initiative, where applicants underwent aptitude tests.

According to him, the outcomes raised concerns about fairness and transparency, prompting calls for a possible review.

“We were disappointed by the results… we would like to know what forms the explanations are going to take. Are the marking schemes going to be reviewed?” he asked.

In response, President John Dramani Mahama assured stakeholders that due process would be followed to secure credible outcomes, particularly in prosecuting corruption-related cases.

“He must build the cases thoroughly so when he goes to court he can get the conviction. So we must have patience for the process,” Mahama stated.

The ORAL initiative was established by Mahama before assuming office as part of a campaign promise to recover misappropriated state funds and assets.

The programme quickly became a central pillar of his administration’s anti-corruption agenda.

On February 10, the ORAL Committee, chaired by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, submitted a report to the president containing 2,417 complaints of suspected corruption gathered from the public.

Presenting the report at the Jubilee House, Ablakwa noted that Ghanaians were deeply concerned about corruption and were eager to see decisive action.

The latest appeal by PTAAM underscores increasing public pressure on the government to ensure transparency, fairness, and tangible outcomes in the fight against corruption.