Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo has said public confidence in Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts now rests heavily on how the Attorney-General proceeds with cases submitted under the Operation Recover All Loot initiative, known as ORAL.
Speaking on PM Express on Monday, Domelevo said expectations are high following the submission of several files for possible prosecution. He warned that any prolonged delays or inaction could reinforce widespread public cynicism about the fight against corruption.
According to Domelevo, effective anti-corruption enforcement must begin with those at the top of public office. He said prioritising high-profile cases is essential if the state is to demonstrate that accountability applies to all and is not selective.
He cautioned that many Ghanaians are increasingly sceptical that corruption cases will lead to consequences, noting that public patience is wearing thin. In his view, failure to act decisively on prominent cases could strengthen the belief that the system remains unchanged.
Domelevo urged the Attorney-General’s office to avoid what he described as a piecemeal approach to investigations and prosecutions. He suggested deploying multiple teams to work on cases simultaneously to prevent files from stalling and to show steady progress.
He also stressed that prosecutions must be supported by thorough investigative work and proper audits. Domelevo cautioned against relying solely on existing audit reports when proceeding to court, saying additional verification is often required to build strong cases.
According to him, parallel audits and investigations should be conducted concurrently so that the public can clearly see movement in the process. He said such an approach would help restore confidence and demonstrate that the ORAL initiative is producing tangible results.
Operation Recover All Loot was introduced as a mechanism to trace and recover misappropriated state assets and to support the prosecution of corruption-related offences. Since the submission of initial case files, attention has focused on the Attorney-General’s office and how swiftly and effectively it will act.
As of the time of Domelevo’s comments, no public timeline had been announced for prosecutions arising from the ORAL submissions. The Attorney-General’s office has not issued a formal response to the concerns raised during the programme.