Private legal practitioner, Rockson-Nelson Etsi Kwami Dafeamekpor, has asked those criticising the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) without basis to hold their peace.
He says in as much as constructive criticisms are welcomed in any democratic dispensation, it does not mean people should provide backlash on government initiatives just for the sake of it.
According to the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, the legality of the committee set by President Mahama to gather information on suspected state capture and looting is not questionable.
He says some comments coming from a section of the public, particularly from apparatchiks of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), are stemming out of ignorance and causing a public disgrace for themselves.
His comments come on the back of criticisms from the quarters of the NPP saying Ghana is not under a coup regime to be having the ORAL.
On Monday, January 13, 2025, during the vetting of the Minister-designate for Justice and Attorney General, Dominic Akuritinga Awine, a member of the Appointments Committee said Ghana was not in a coup regime when the matter of the ORAL came up.
Similarly, the former Majority Leader and former Member of Parliament for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in an interview with TV3 shared the same sentiments, making the lawmaker suggest that their criticisms of the policy may be borne out of ignorance.
He alleged that the comments suggest the NPP might have planned on flooding the airwaves with an association of ORAL with a coup regime, just to create a bad impression about the initiative to the public.
He explained that the Whistle Blower’s Act clearly exonerates the operations of ORAL, as its Chairman, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, as a Member of Parliament, has every right to receive information from the public for onward submission to appropriate state institutions to act on them.
Speaking on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, January 18, 2025, Mr. Dafeamekpor stated that those questioning the legality of the ORAL are making baseless arguments and bringing a shame to themselves.
“If you cannot suggest constructively, don’t question its legality because it is neither here nor there. In fact some of the criticisms is becoming ignominious,” he stated, adding that “this coup regime rhetoric, I’m sure they are on a platform and they say ‘just go and talk about coup’.”
The ORAL, a promise made by President Mahama during his campaign for the 2024 elections, is an initiative to retrieve all assets attained illegally by some entities.
He set up a five-member committee to receive on his behalf, reports of alleged state looting for subsequent investigations by appropriate state agencies. But many have questioned the legality of the committee saying they have no legal backing to carry such a mandate.
