Angry Ghanaians Demand Action, Not Excuses.
The honeymoon period is definitively over for Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, as public patience wears thin over the seeming sluggish pace of prosecutions under the much-touted “Operation Recover All Loot” (ORAL).
Whispers of a political “scratch my back, I scratch your back” agenda to shield corrupt Akufo-Addo appointees are morphing into a public roar, threatening to derail the Mahama administration’s anti-corruption crusade.
Six months into President John Mahama’s second term, the promise of swift justice and asset recovery, a cornerstone of the NDC’s December 2024 general election campaign, remains largely unfulfilled.
Despite the Attorney General’s assurances of “supersonic speed” and even pledges of cooperation from whistleblowers within the very institutions under scrutiny, not a single conviction has been secured under ORAL.
Dr. Ayine, speaking at the Government’s Accountability series on Monday, July 28, vehemently dismissed accusations of delay, attributing such narratives to an opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) smear campaign.
He drew parallels with the current Finance Minister Ato Forson’s trial, pointing out that his office filed charges and supporting documents in two weeks, a feat he claims took his predecessor, Godfred Yeboah Dame, six months to achieve in a similar case.
He also highlighted ongoing plea negotiations with eight suspects in the National Service Secretariat (NSS) scandal, with some allegedly offering to turn state witnesses.
However, Dr. Ayine’s defensive posture has done little to assuage a disillusioned public. Commentary across traditional and social media, as monitored by The New Republic, paints a grim picture of widespread disappointment and agitation.
Private legal practitioner and outspoken social commentator, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, mincing no words, took to social media immediately after the AG’s presser, inviting public opinion.
The responses were overwhelmingly scathing.
Albert Ofori-nkyi, a concerned citizen, fumed, “So with all these evidences gathered on former NSA officials coupled with self-confessed accomplices turned prosecution witnesses hence what is stopping AG Hon. Dominic Ayine from putting them before the law court? NATO is becoming too much in our fight against corruption.
We promised ORAL and not NATO.”
Another, Christopher Wisdom Penu, lamented, “Not impressed, not encouraging….. More like encouraging corruption to thrive in our ecosystem of politics and democracy especially in favour of one’s political family.”
Kojo Michael Nanu did not hold back, declaring, “He is so incompetent. Mahama should sack him and appoint a serious person to catch the criminals and retrieve all the stolen moneys. He talks and can not bite. If he takes bribe to free the criminals through any foolish plea, he will be dealt with.”
The New Republic investigations reveal a complex web of factors contributing to the AG’s perceived inertia. Sources within the Attorney General’s Office point to a deeply entrenched cadre of NPP loyalists among state attorneys, whose commitment to the ORAL agenda is reportedly lukewarm at best.
The few loyal to the current administration are said to be drowning under the sheer volume of cases pouring in from the Ghana Police Service, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).
With just one deputy, the AG’s office is reportedly grappling with over 200 ORAL cases, in addition to its regular caseload. Currently, only the NSS and Sky Train scandals appear to be receiving any significant attention.
Adding fuel to the fire is the growing public conviction that the political class, regardless of party affiliation, operates on an unwritten code of mutual protection.
This “scratch my back, I scratch your back” theory suggests a deliberate dilly-dallying with the electorate, who have grown weary of grand anti-corruption promises that historically yield little.
This sentiment harks back to former President John Kufuor’s administration, which, despite vowing to prosecute over 20 alleged corrupt appointees of the late former President Jerry Rawlings, delivered a spectacular failure in its first term.
Success, albeit controversial, only materialized in his second term with the creation of the Fast Track High Court and the jailing of lawyer and former GNPC boss, Tsatsu Tsikata.
Similarly, the late President Prof. John Mills, who campaigned heavily on an anti-corruption platform against Kufuor’s appointees, famously pivoted to a “father for all” agenda, much to the chagrin of his own party. Cases like the “Ghana at 50” scandal vanished into thin air.
President John Mahama, on the other hand, boasts a more commendable, albeit limited, track record. In his previous term, he initiated investigations into the NSS scandal after a whistleblower’s tip-off, leading to prosecutions and recovery of stolen funds.
The jailing of GYEEDA boss, Abuga Pele, for 18 years, and the swift termination of his deputy Communication Minister, Victoria Hammah, after she was caught on tape discussing amassing $100 million, stand as testaments to his past commitment.
It was this seemingly “enviable track record” that largely propelled President Mahama back into office for his final term, with Ghanaians expecting an intensified and more effective fight against corruption.
The current stalemate, therefore, represents a profound betrayal of public trust and a significant challenge to the credibility of the Mahama administration. The clock is ticking, and the public demands results, not rhetoric.
By Gifty Boateng