Domelevo Explains Why Expectations of ORAL Recoveries Should Be Measured: “A Lot of Garbage”

• Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo has given insight into the data backing the Operation Recover All Loot
• The ORAL Preparatory Committee earlier said it had identified $21.19 billion in potential recoveries
• The Preparatory Committee had handed over its report to Ghana's President, John Mahama, back in February

Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo has admitted that the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) collected and compiled data without verification.

He said some of the information used in arriving at the $21 billion recovery estimate was garbage.

Domelevo explained to Joy News that the ORAL preparatory team did not conduct any probe into the claims before presenting the findings to the president.

According to him, the actual test of the figures would be in court, where the amounts could change significantly.

Read also

Posh mansion of PAC Academy owner goes viral following FBI arrest (video)

Domelevo also noted that recovery of the funds was not a certainty.

“When you get to the courtroom, the amount may reduce significantly. And I caution. I remember saying that I know even if we should win the 21 or close to $22 billion, collecting it is another game altogether.”

“As for us, we just collected data and summed it up. We didn’t do any investigation… some even came in the form of emails. What about if the person is just making it up?”

Read also

Education Ministry launches investigation into allegations of bribery in SHS placement process

“Being an experienced auditor, I know that you can even submit documents, and later on, when we test the document, the documents may not have any substance, or they may not be authentic."

ORAL had identified $21.19 billion in potential recoveries, a figure some felt was unrealistic.

The Ghanaian preparatory committee handed over its report to President John Mahama on February 2, 2025.

The ORAL team was launched on December 18, 2024, with Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa appointed as the chairman.

Ablakwa believes ORAL’s investigation into 36 high-profile cases alone could yield up to $20.49 billion for Ghana.

The Mahama administration returned to power with a pledge to crack down on corruption.

Ghana has consistently been dropping on Transparency International's Global Corruption Perception Index, now moving from a previous score of 43 to 42.

Read also

Menzgold Saga: Cabinet to decide what to do with NAM1's seized properties

Also in 2024, Ghana made no progress on the Corruption Perceptions Index following the 2023 calendar year.

Ghana Integrity Initiative said this suggested the policy, legal and administrative reforms required review and strengthening.

Currently, Mahama has said the Attorney-General is building 33 cases of corruption against former government officials

Most recently, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Abdul-Wahab Hanan Aludiba, was named by the Attorney General in a money laundering probe and alleged corruption.

NSA Director charged with corruption

YEN.com.gh reported that the former Director-General of the NSA, Osei Assibey Antwi, was charged with willfully causing financial loss to the state.

He allegedly caused a loss of GH¢500,861,744.02 by authorising the payment of allowances to over 60,000 'ghost' service personnel between August 2021 and February 2025.

He would face six counts of stealing, with the prosecution claiming that between August 2023 and May 2024, he dishonestly appropriated millions belonging to the National Service Authority.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh