US-based Ghanaian legal scholar Professor Kwaku Asare, popularly known as Kwaku Azar, has advocated for the permanent establishment of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative to monitor and combat corruption in Ghana.
In a social media post on Wednesday, January 15, he emphasized that the President possesses the constitutional authority to form such committees without the need for additional legislation.
“The President does not need a law to set up a committee to receive complaints of corruption, waste, or stolen public properties because the Constitution and existing legal frameworks grant the President broad executive powers to create advisory or investigative committees,” Professor Asare stated.
He referenced Article 58 (1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution, which vests executive authority in the President, including the implementation of policies and management of public administration.
Establishing a committee like ORAL, according to the legal scholar, aligns with the President’s mandate to oversee the proper administration of the country.
Professor Asare further noted that such committees serve as administrative tools to collect information, receive complaints, and make recommendations, without exercising judicial or enforcement powers.
He highlighted that similar initiatives have been undertaken in the past without the need for new legislation.
“Just as we use CCTV to monitor crimes, we need similar measures to monitor corruption. ORAL serves as a ‘CCTV for Corruption’ (CCCTV),” he remarked, underscoring the importance of continuous vigilance in the fight against corruption.
The ORAL initiative, introduced by President John Mahama, aims to identify and recover assets derived from corrupt activities while holding those involved accountable.
Meanwhile, it has been criticised by many including the Minority caucus in Parliament for being unconstitutional and violating the country’s legal framework.