Richard Ahiagbah, National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has criticized the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) “Operation Recover All Loot” (ORAL), describing it as an “amorphous creation” aimed at advancing the NDC’s populist agenda.
In a social media post on Thursday, January 16, Ahiagbah backed the Minority caucus’ call urging Ghanaians and former officials of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration to boycott the ORAL Committee if invited.
He emphasized that this stance is not an attempt to evade accountability but a call to respect established anti-corruption institutions such as the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
“In its current form, the ORAL Committee is unknown to our laws and, hence, has zero responsibility to our laws. It is an amorphous creation to further the NDC’s populist end, which regrettably is undermining the anti-corruption institutions mentioned above,” Ahiagbah stated.
He further called on the NDC to seek parliamentary approval if it wishes to legitimize the ORAL Committee’s operations.
“The NDC can come through Parliament if it wishes to give the ORAL Committee the powers to help it fulfill its campaign promise. Let the NDC do the right and lawful thing,” he stated.
He reminded the NDC that they were elected and sworn in according to the 1992 Constitution and should, therefore, operate within the law.
Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) is an initiative launched by President Mahama to combat corruption and recover misappropriated state resources.
The ORAL team, chaired by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, includes former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo, retired Police Commissioner COP Nathaniel Kofi Boakye, private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, and investigative journalist Raymond Archer.
The initiative has set up platforms to collect information on suspected corruption, including a toll-free number, an official website, and an email address, ensuring confidentiality for informants.
Comments
I will humbly request the ORAL team to add the name of Richard Ahiagbah to the list of those to be investigated. The young ones the ORAL team least suspects of embezzlement are those who have embezzled millions and illegally acquired state properties.