The recently submitted report by the President’s Anti-Corruption Preparatory Team (ORAL), led by Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has uncovered a staggering $20.49 billion in potential recoveries.
While this revelation has sparked widespread public outcry, seasoned observers like Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, Democracy and Development Fellow in Public Law and Justice at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), argued that the findings are hardly surprising.
He noted that anyone familiar with Auditor-General reports, investigative journalism exposés, and the numerous scandals discussed in everyday Ghanaian conversations could have predicted this outcome.
“What matters now is whether this report becomes a roadmap to national financial restoration or just another document that gathers dust. If history has taught us anything, exposing looting is far easier than recovering stolen funds and holding culprits accountable”.
Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare
Ghana’s history is littered with anti-corruption reports that exposed massive financial mismanagement but led to no significant recoveries or convictions.
Scandals involving public funds come and go, and in most cases, those implicated continue to enjoy the spoils of their actions without consequence.
Professor Asare raised an urgent concern: exposing corruption is the easy part—recovering stolen assets and holding looters accountable is where the true challenge lies.
Indeed, if history is anything to go by, those behind the embezzlement of public funds will deploy their vast resources, political connections, and media allies to derail the accountability process.
Ghana has seen this play out before: a scandal breaks, authorities make grand pronouncements, and political rhetoric fills the airwaves, but in the end, little action is taken, and the looters walk free.
What Must Happen Next?
To ensure this does not become another wasted opportunity, Prof. Asare outlined ten critical actions that must follow. These steps, if rigorously implemented, could signal a true turning point in Ghana’s fight against corruption.
Firstly, Professor Asare called for immediate asset recovery – asserting that authorities must swiftly seize and freeze looted assets before they are further siphoned away or hidden through complex financial manoeuvring.
Secondly, the CDD-Ghana Democracy and Development Fellow in Public Law and Justice charged anti-corruption bodies such as the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Attorney-General’s Office, the Auditor-General’s Department, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to work in unison to close systemic loopholes and effectively enforce the law.
Fragmented efforts according to him, will only embolden the perpetrators. Professor Asare further called for thorough investigations before the filing of cases at the court, arguing that weak and rushed investigations have often led to failed prosecutions.
For him, this time must be different, urging state authorities to build airtight cases that can withstand legal scrutiny, ensuring that convictions stick.
The seasoned academic and constitutional activist also called for judicial reforms & timelines, demanding that the Rules of Court Committee introduce strict timelines for corruption-related cases, curbing the excessive delays that allow culprits to escape justice through legal technicalities.
Highlighting how Ghana cannot afford another round of endless adjournments and procedural gymnastics, Professor Asare strongly posited that corruption trials must be swift, firm, and uncompromising.
He thus advocated for the Specialized Anti-Corruption Courts – led by judges trained in financial crimes, supported by experienced, well-paid prosecutors from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to handle these cases to ensure efficiency and impartiality.
In his demand for public accountability, Professor Asare charged the government to provide regular updates on how much has been recovered, where the funds are being reinvested, and who has been held accountable. “This will build public trust in the anti-corruption process”, he added.
He also advocated for the establishment of an independent, non-partisan body to monitor the implementation of the ORAL report to prevent selective justice.
Recognising the excessive intervention of some political, traditional, and religious leaders on behalf of those implicated in corruption scandals, Professor Asare urged authorities to resist these pressures and let justice take its course.
“Looters will fight back. They are well-resourced. They will mobilise loyalists, deploy media allies, and whip up partisan outrage to shield themselves. Witch-hunting will become en vogue. But let’s be clear that only witches can be witch-hunted. If you fear a witch hunt, maybe it’s because you have a broomstick to hide.”
Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare
No More Excuses—The Time for Action is Now
The ORAL report has laid bare the staggering extent of corruption in Ghana. Now, the onus is on anti-corruption institutions to demonstrate that they are up to the task.
Failure to act decisively will not only embolden future looters but also deepen public disillusionment with the fight against corruption.
As Prof. Asare warned, billions are at stake, cautioning that the people of Ghana will not forgive another wasted opportunity.
Authorities must act with urgency, transparency, and resolve—because if they fail, they risk being devoured by what he called OMAMPAM (the insatiable monster of corruption).
Professor Asare summarised his remarks, saying, “In the meantime, close all avenues for new looting by activating OPAL”—the mechanisms that will ensure enduring transparency and accountability.
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