Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced significant progress in the government’s flagship anti-corruption drive—Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL)—revealing that investigations into seven major corruption cases have been completed, with several others nearing conclusion.
The initiative, launched under the directive of President John Dramani Mahama, aims to recover stolen state resources and ensure accountability in public service management.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, the Attorney-General disclosed that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) was tasked in March 2025 to investigate several high-profile cases involving alleged acts of theft, graft, and financial mismanagement by public officials and their private-sector accomplices.
These cases were drawn from reports submitted by the ORAL Committee, which had earlier received public complaints about the misuse or looting of state resources, mainly uder the previous NPP administration.
However, he clarified that while the committee’s findings provided a basis for action, they did not constitute irrefutable evidence of criminality.
“The investigations were necessary because the ORAL Committee reports did not contain the evidence required to prove the guilt of the suspects in court beyond a reasonable doubt. omplaints are not evidence; they are leads that require diligent verification.”
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine
He revealed that the investigations have so far covered a wide range of cases including the Sky Train Project, the National Service Ghost Names Scandal, the District Road Improvement Project (DRIP), National Lotteries, the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam, and Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML).
Others include the Frontier Healthcare Services, Free Wi-Fi Program, the National Ambulance procurement, the Boankra Integrated Inland Logistics Terminal, the Sputnik V Vaccine procurement, and the Land Looting Cases.
Commitment to Thorough Scrutiny
According to him, eight of the land-related cases have already been concluded, with one still outstanding. He emphasized that all case dockets brought to his office undergo thorough scrutiny by the prosecution division of the Attorney-General’s Department before any legal action is taken.
“When the dockets are brought to my office, I go through them diligently with the prosecution staff and other lawyers we work with. We build the cases carefully and advise investigators on the loopholes that may be exploited by defense attorneys.”
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine
Citing examples from the ongoing investigations, the Attorney-General highlighted the Boankra Integrated Inland Logistics Terminal case and the District Road Improvement Project (DRIP) as notable examples of the painstaking process of ensuring credible evidence before prosecution.
On Boankra, he disclosed that although investigations had been completed, no clear evidence of criminality had yet emerged.
“We have done our reading and analysis of the report, and we have come to the conclusion that there is a need for a value-for-money audit. That is the only way we can determine the extent of any financial malfeasance relating to the project. So far, nothing has been discovered that should cause us to take immediate criminal action in court.”
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine
DRIP Investigation Reveals Staggering Overpayment
In contrast, findings from the DRIP investigation revealed acts of financial misconduct. The Attorney-General said that the preliminary report showed evidence of overpayment, tax evasion, and over-invoicing.
“For instance, JA Plant Pool was overpaid by $2 million. When we examined the invoices of payments, it was $178 million that was paid, and that immediately revealed a discrepancy of $2 million. We have made a demand on JA Plant Pool to refund that amount.”
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine
He further disclosed that investigators uncovered unpaid taxes amounting to GH¢38.7 million due to the wrongful classification of equipment as tax-exempt.
“We have asked the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to make a formal demand for the payment of the taxes, since they are the competent authority under our laws”.
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine
Even more alarming, the Attorney-General added, was the discovery of systematic over-invoicing, with equipment purchased for DRIP costing between 100% and 300% more than their actual market value.
“A piece of equipment that cost $40,000 was invoiced at $84,000. That is over 110% inflation. We are now carefully examining every single piece of equipment because in criminal law, charges must be specific. If you miss that element of specificity, your case will be thrown out of court.”
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine
Calls for Patience
He stressed that while the public’s impatience with the pace of prosecutions is understandable, due process cannot be compromised. “This is why I keep urging Ghanaians to be patient. We need diligent investigation so that when I send a case to court, we are certain that criminality has occurred,” he remarked.
The Attorney-General also revealed that prosecutions have already commenced in several other corruption-related cases, including the Sky Train Project, National Service Ghost Names Scandal, All African Games Procurement, Mathematical Sets Distribution, Bank of Ghana New Head Office Construction, Stadia Renovation Contracts, and the National Cathedral Project.
Touching on the much-discussed National Cathedral case, he disclosed that his office had requested an additional forensic audit by the Auditor-General, supported by one of the globally recognized “Big Four” accounting firms. This, he explained, was to ensure that all financial dealings related to the project were fully examined.
The Attorney-General reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to President Mahama’s anti-corruption agenda, emphasizing that the rule of law and institutional accountability remain central to governance.
He concluded by assuring the public that his office will continue to pursue all credible leads uncovered by the ORAL initiative, adding that several additional cases are at various stages of completion.
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