The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Ayine, has dismissed claims by the opposition New Patriotic Party that the government’s anti-corruption campaign, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), is failing.
Speaking in an interview with the media following the recent arrest of some NPP members over allegations of publishing false news, Dr Ayine defended the government’s anti-corruption drive, insisting that substantial progress had already been made in prosecuting corruption-related cases linked to the previous administration.
ORAL is the flagship anti-corruption and asset recovery initiative of the governing National Democratic Congress administration.
The policy seeks to identify, investigate, and recover state funds, properties, and other resources allegedly misappropriated by former public officials.
The initiative operates through dedicated investigative teams tasked with gathering evidence, interrogating suspects, and forwarding findings to the Attorney General’s Department for prosecution.
It also promotes whistleblowing by providing channels for citizens to report suspected acts of corruption.
According to Dr Ayine, suggestions that the government was abandoning its promise to prosecute corrupt officials were unfounded and politically motivated.
“When statements like that are being made, that we are doing this because ORAL is failing, ORAL is not failing,” he stated.
The Attorney General further argued that his office had made unprecedented progress in pursuing corruption-related prosecutions within a relatively short period.
“Go back and check the records. I am the first Attorney General in the history of the Fourth Republic to have brought five corruption cases in one year,” he said.
Dr Ayine maintained that ongoing court proceedings were mounting pressure on individuals associated with the previous administration due to the strength of the evidence gathered through investigations.
“And what is happening in court now is rather putting pressure on them because they know that I have been so diligent in my investigations, I have been so diligent in the prosecutions, that they are afraid that their people will go to jail for the acts of corruption that they engaged in,” he added.
He stressed that he would not be distracted by criticism from the opposition and insisted that the ORAL initiative remained on course.
“So the accusation that we are shifting focus away from ORAL is not something that I will pay heed to because ORAL is on track and ORAL is going to succeed,” he reiterated.
The Attorney General’s comments come amid growing political tensions between the government and the NPP over issues of accountability, corruption investigations, and freedom of expression.
The recent arrests involving some opposition figures have also sparked public debate over the government’s handling of law enforcement and political criticism.
By 1960news.com
