The Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) Team, has saved 50 government bungalows from being demolished by private developers, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of ORAL, has stated.
He announced this on Monday, when he presented the final report of the ORAL team to President John Dramani Mahama at the seat of Government in Accra.
ORAL was set up by the then President-elect, John Dramani Mahama on December 18, 2024, to gather information on corruption, to be passed on to the appropriate government institutions for further investigation.
Other members of the team included Mr Daniel Domelevo, a former Auditor-General, Commissioner of Police (COP) Nathaniel Kofi Boakye (Rtd), Mr Martin Kpebu, a Private Legal Practitioner and Mr Raymond Archer, an Investigative journalist.
“Thanks to the establishment of Oral, we have been able to save 50 bungalows that were on the verge of being demolished… ,” Mr Ablakwa said.
“We received distress calls from public servants who said people had showed up, so-called private developers, to demolish their bungalows, and in their report we have provided a detailed list of these bungalows, some belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Gender and Social Protection, the CSIR, and all of that.”
He said but for the President’s establishment of Oral, they were of the view that all of those 50 bungalows would have been demolished.
“So what we did is that when we received the complaints, the distress calls, we immediately called the National Security Committee, and we were very privileged because of the President’s foresight.
“He strategically positioned COP Kofi Boakye in ORAL, and also in the National Security Committee.”
Mr Ablakwa reiterated that team ORAL never physically went to prevent demolition of bungalows; stating that “No, that was not part of our mandate.
“We were only to receive complaints, but as responsible, conscientious citizens, it would be irresponsible to receive the complaints and just allow those bungalows to be demolished. So immediately National Security is informed, and then they acted”
Mr Ablakwa urged the public to ignore all of those barrages of unfair and baseless attacks that ORAL had suffered.
“We did not carry out any physical operation on the ground. We only report to National Security, and then they act. We collaborated with the National Security to save the Northern Development Authority Land at Cantonment.”
He said ORAL also collaborated with National Security to halt state asset takeovers across the country.
He mentioned that the ORAL report also contained videos and pictures of vehicles whose number plates were being changed, so they could easily be stolen for private use.
Mr Ablakwa said acting on those tip-offs, National Security moved in quickly, and they were able to save a good number of hundreds of those vehicles.
He said there was also a clash at the Dubois Centre at Cantonment in Accra with the team receiving a distress call that a private foundation was taking over.
“We immediately called National Security, and so what we have done now is to ask that the factions should meet, and the new Minister for Tourism should resolve the matters.”
Mr Ablakwa said they had also saved large portions of the agri-mechanization lands at Cantonment.
He said information gathered by his team indicated that people, including government officials, Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers of state paid as low as GHC 42,000 and GHC 116,000 for a plot of land at that prime Cantonment area.
“So it was really just a giveaway. I’m sure the President and his advisors will decide on what to do with the rest of the land.”
He mentioned that they also collaborated with the National Security to halt the attempted demolition of staff quarters belonging to the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board at Osu Kuku Hill in Accra. That land had also been sold, but by the intervention of the ORAL team, at least the demolition had been halted.
He said the President and his advisors would decide what should happen to the staff quarters of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.
Mr Ablakwa explained that the ORAL preparatory team concept offered a more structured and peaceful non-confrontational channel for citizens to address concerns on the looting of state assets.
“Imagine what would have happened. We are all aware that transitions in Ghana tend sometimes to be acrimonious and even can degenerate into violence,” he stated.
GNA
