SONA2026: Stolen public funds will be returned – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to recover stolen state funds for national development through prosecutions and lawful asset recovery processes.

Delivering his State of the Nation Address on Friday, February 27, 2026, he said the fight against corruption would remain firm but anchored strictly in the rule of law.

“As of December 2025, EOCO had recovered more than GHS600 million,” he disclosed, outlining progress made by the Economic and Organised Crime Office in tracing and retrieving illicit assets.

He added that the Office had “investigated 462 cases, with 15 currently under prosecution,” while also dismantling transnational car-jacking syndicates and recovering 29 luxury vehicles.

Mr. Mahama stressed that the government’s objective goes beyond public spectacle, focusing instead on restoring stolen public resources to the national purse.

“The Attorney General’s Office will continue to use both criminal prosecution and non-conviction-based asset recovery mechanisms to ensure that stolen public resources are returned for national development,” he stated.

He acknowledged widespread public impatience for swift punishment of public officials accused of wrongdoing but cautioned against shortcuts.

“I understand that a large majority of Ghanaians are impatient to see those who abused their trust in office held to account,” he said.

Referencing Ghana’s constitutional history, he warned against a return to extrajudicial actions that characterised some past regimes.

“This may have appeared as swift justice, but many regrettable excesses were recorded,” he noted, adding that Ghana’s 1992 Constitution commits the country to governance under the rule of law.

The President reminded Parliament that upon assuming office on January 7, 2025, he swore to uphold the Constitution.

“I may be as impatient as everyone else to see justice done, but painstaking investigations must be conducted, dockets must be prepared, charges must be filed, and the accused must have their day in court,” he said.

He emphasised that due process protects citizens from abuse and ensures that only those found guilty of offences against the state are punished, while recovered assets are redirected to national development priorities.