I’m in favour of ORAL press briefings, it’ll ensure transparency — Ibrahim Adjei

A former Assistant Secretary at the Office of the Former President, Nana Akufo-Addo, Ibrahim Adjei, has backed the regular press briefings held by the Office of the Attorney General on ongoing corruption investigations.

Some members of the public, particularly within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have criticised the Attorney General for allegedly prosecuting suspects in the media and making prejudicial comments.

But speaking on Accra-based Channel One TV on Monday, June 16, the former presidential staffer argued that such briefings promote transparency in the process.

“I disagree that it [the press briefings] is to court public opinion. I’m in favour of the transparency that is going on. It is very well for us to really succeed as a nation. Sometimes we have to remove the doubt that there’s political manoeuvring,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has also defended the government’s regular press briefings under the Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) anti-corruption initiative.

He insisted the intent is to ensure transparency, not to target any political group.

Addressing journalists in Accra on Friday, June 13, Dr. Ayine said the briefings are part of democratic accountability and cited examples from the United States where prosecutors frequently update the public on major cases.

“The United States of America is one of the world’s oldest democracies, and US prosecutors — district attorneys, attorneys, or even the Attorney General — when they conclude investigations, they brief the press on their findings. Sometimes they file the charges and come out of the courtroom to brief the press on those charges,” he explained.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. So those who think accounting to the people is problematic must understand the meaning of the word. Accountability simply means to explain — to explain one’s actions,” he added.