Former Auditor-General and current EOCO Board Chair, Mr. Daniel Yao Domelevo, has emphasized the urgent need to maintain the momentum of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative to preserve public confidence in the fight against corruption.
Speaking in a recent interview, Mr. Domelevo, who served as a key member of the ORAL team, described the program as one designed to ensure accountability and restore state resources. He argued that for it to remain effective and avoid being perceived as a mere political tool, the government must ensure consistent and visible results.
“ORAL was a big plan that was used for the 2024 election and we must keep it hot such that the public will not lose confidence over what we are doing. A lot of them (cases) were chaff and we’ve thrown them away”
Mr. Daniel Yao Domelevo, Former Auditor-General and EOCO Board Chair
According to Mr. Domelevo, the committee tasked with the program has already received over 2,000 complaints concerning financial mismanagement and corruption. While many of these submissions were discarded after a rigorous filtering process, the remaining genuine cases are forming the basis for ongoing investigations and potential prosecutions.
A central theme of Mr. Domelevo’s assessment was the inadequacy of the current legal framework to provide lasting deterrence. He contended that while investigations are a step in the right direction, the government must prioritize legislative changes that signal a zero-tolerance approach to the misuse of public funds.
He suggested that stricter laws regarding asset declaration and the criminalization of unexplained wealth are necessary to ensure that public officials understand the consequences of financial misconduct before it occurs.
Mr. Domelevo argued that even if immediate jail sentences are not achieved for every case, the mere presence of a formidable legal framework would provide “fantastic deterrence.” He believes that shifting the focus toward prevention through systemic reform is the only way to safeguard the US$21 billion estimated to be recoverable from stolen state assets.
Road To Recovery
Despite the calls for reform, the former Auditor-General noted that the current administration has, so far, not suffered from any major financial misconduct. This lack of fresh scandals provides the government with a unique window to focus on the retrieval of assets linked to the previous administration.
He pointed out that, in 2025, the then-Chairman of ORAL, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, handed over a comprehensive dossier of corruption cases to the Attorney-General, which serves as the roadmap for the current recovery efforts.
Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine has already signaled that the state is intensifying its investigations and will soon begin the physical recovery of funds. Mr. Domelevo maintained that the success of these efforts is intrinsically linked to how the government manages public expectations through transparency and the enforcement of a code of conduct.
“If you go into public office you declare your assets. If we get to know that you’ve acquired assets beyond your means you’re going to be jailed; I think this brings about deterrence and that will be great”
Mr. Daniel Yao Domelevo, Former Auditor-General and EOCO Board Chair
For Mr. Domelevo, the ORAL initiative represents more than just a financial recovery program; it is a test of the government’s commitment to good governance. He stressed that the combination of the ORAL mechanism and a strengthened judicial process is critical for holding past and present officials accountable.
He warned that if the process slows down or appears stagnant, the public may lose the confidence they currently have in the state’s anti-corruption agencies. “The legal framework has to be changed to signal that no one can play with our money anymore,” he ended.
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