ORAL team unnecessary, aimed at political vendetta – Afenyo-Markin

Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has criticised the newly formed Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee, which was announced by President-elect John Dramani Mahama.

Afenyo-Markin described the committee as unnecessary, claiming it undermines existing state institutions responsible for fighting corruption.

During his campaign, Mahama had pledged to create ORAL to investigate and recover alleged state resources looted during the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration. After his electoral victory, Mahama unveiled a five-member team to lead ORAL’s efforts.

The committee includes former Auditor-General Daniel Domelovo, retired Commissioner of Police Nathaniel Kofi Boakye, legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, and investigative journalist Raymond Archer.

However, Afenyo-Markin, speaking during his final remarks as Majority Leader of the 8th Parliament, dismissed the initiative as a “wild goose chase” and warned it could be used as a tool for political revenge. He expressed concern that the committee’s operations could destabilize governance by creating an atmosphere of fear and harassment.

“I want to add my voice to the call you made, that we should have a better way of dealing with issues of alleged corruption…we should allow a due process of law to take effect. it is on this note that I condemn in all uncertain terms the establishment of a so-called committee called ORAL (Operation Recover All Loot). I hold the humble view that it is a needless committee, it has no constitutional backing, and this is only in for a personal vendetta.

“If we allow this committee to continue with its so-called wild goose chase, it will disturb the governance of this country. We don’t need any so-called ORAL. We have institutions of the state. However unhappy we are with their work, we must support them to do their work.

“We don’t want people to be chasing people into their houses, going into their rooms thinking that their government is in office so they should chase people on suspicion of so-called corruption,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the committee Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has reassured Ghanaians that the team will not duplicate the work of existing state anti-corruption agencies.