The chairman of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) team, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced that the team will work without any form of payment.
He stated that members will not receive salaries, allowances, per diems, or fuel coupons to ensure their work imposes no cost on taxpayers.
In a statement shared on his social media wall on December 18th 2024, Ablakwa wrote, “We shall not be receiving salaries, allowances, per diems, or fuel coupons. None of our activities will come at a cost to the taxpayer. Let’s do this for God and country. Ghana First.”
The ORAL team, established by President-elect John Dramani Mahama, is tasked with investigating and documenting cases of alleged corruption and recovering misappropriated state resources.
Its five members include Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Daniel Domelevo, a former Auditor-General; COP (Rtd.) Nathaniel Kofi Boakye, a retired Commissioner of Police; Martin Kpebu, a legal practitioner; and Raymond Archer, an investigative journalist.
The team held its first meeting earlier today, during which members resolved to work on a pro bono basis as a patriotic contribution to Ghana.
Concerns raised by some citizens about how the team would sustain its operations have been addressed with assurances that operational costs, if necessary, will be covered through private donations rather than public funds.
The ORAL team forms a crucial part of President-elect Mahama’s transition strategy, aimed at strengthening anti-corruption efforts and ensuring accountability.
By beginning its work ahead of the administration’s official start, the team seeks to provide a foundation for robust recovery and transparency initiatives once Mahama assumes office.