The Operation Recover All the Loots (ORAL) team has presented a report to President John Mahama, revealing that Ghana can recover $21.19 billion from 36 cases of financial irregularities, including the PDS deal and the National Cathedral project.
Chairman of the ORAL Committee, Okudzeto Ablakwa, stated that a total of 2,417 complaints were received during the committee’s mandate.
Out of this number, 1,493 calls were made through toll-free lines, while 924 emails were submitted.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Okudzeto Ablakwa, further stated that the 36 cases and land-related issues could potentially recover $21.19 billion, which exceeds the amount Ghana is seeking from the IMF.
“Then we’ve also done the 36 cases, the high amount cases we put together and then the land loot, potentially, we can raise about $21.19 billion and that is far more than what we have been chasing IMF for”
“The 36 cases we have reviewed in detailed, we are successful in recoveries, we can retrieve as much as $20.49 billion and that is from National Cathedral, PDS, SML and we decided that in this open session we will not go into greater details and so, I want to restrain but there is a great deal of resources belonging to the taxpayers that can be retrieved”
President John Dramani Mahama, after receiving the report, stated that its recommendations would be carefully studied and that where legal actions and investigations are warranted, they would be pursued without fear or favor.
He added that every pesewa recovered would be reinvested into national development, cautioning that this should serve as a strong warning that Ghana is no longer a haven for corruption.
President Mahama further stated that he has promptly handed over the report to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, instructing him to commence immediate investigations into the reported cases with the aim of prosecuting anyone found liable for corruption and related offenses.
“The reports will be carefully studied and where legal actions and recommendations are warranted, they will be pursued without fear or favor. Every pesewa recovered will be channeled back into National Development”
“I have promptly handed over the reports to the Attorney General and Minister for Justice and I gave him firm instructions to commence immediate investigations into the cases reported in here with the view to prosecuting anyone found liable for corruption related offenses”
