The flagbearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has outlined a robust anti-corruption plan aimed at overhauling transparency in government and prosecuting corrupt officials, should he be elected in the upcoming general elections.

Speaking at the Governance Forum in Accra on Thursday, 31 October 2024, Mr. Mahama committed to employing a mix of local and international investigative expertise to probe corruption cases, with a focus on swiftly retrieving stolen assets.

“I’m affirming my commitment to root out the canker of corruption,” the NDC flagbearer declared.

He continued that: “One of our tools to combat corruption, and make it a high-risk endeavour for any person, Operation Recover All the Loot, will investigate and prosecute the persons involved in corruption, using both local and foreign expertise to achieve this objective.”

At the core of Mahama’s strategy is Operation Recover All the Loot (ORAL), a new initiative that aims to hold accountable those who abuse public office for personal gain. The operation will rely on a team of seasoned local and international investigators to ensure that corrupt practices face thorough scrutiny and prosecution.

Mahama also revealed plans to curb state asset misappropriation by introducing legislation that prohibits political appointees and public officials from purchasing state assets. “Closely linked to ORAL will be legislation to prohibit political appointees, politically exposed persons, and all serving public officials from purchasing state assets,” he said. “We shall address the detrimental phenomena of state capture by establishing a state asset registrar.”

The proposed state asset registrar would serve as a dedicated body to manage and oversee state assets, ensuring they are protected from mismanagement or illicit acquisition by politically exposed individuals.