Accra: Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, has announced that 16 dockets associated with the government's Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) initiative are currently under review. He emphasized that no case within the programme had been compromised, countering reports from some media outlets.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Ayine made these remarks during a visit by Vice-President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice. He reassured the public that there had been no plea negotiations or deals with individuals implicated in offences related to ORAL. Dr Ayine stated, "No docket has come here that has been compromised in any way. No deal, no plea arrangement has been entered into with anybody who has committed an offence that comes within the ambit of ORAL."
Dr Ayine noted that the dockets were being critically scrutinized, and investigation bodies would be instructed to provide additional evidence if any gaps were identified. He referenced the ongoing National Service prosecution as an example of this approach. "When we notice loopholes in the investigations, we will tell the investigative authorities to bring us more evidence," he said, stressing that accountability under the ORAL programme remained non-negotiable.
While the Attorney-General's office engages in plea bargaining in certain criminal cases, such as murder or manslaughter, Dr Ayine clarified that this does not apply to ORAL cases, despite public speculation. The Vice-President's visit was part of efforts to enhance collaboration between the Executive and key justice institutions as the government pursued its accountability and asset recovery agenda.
Dr Ayine expressed concern about a surge in land compensation claims against the State, with some claims amounting to hundreds of millions of Ghana cedis. He warned, "The figures are mind-blowing. We are looking at billions of Ghana cedis in land compensation claims," noting that many claims were based on colonial-era documents. Such cases often succeed in court, sometimes reaching the Supreme Court, thereby increasing the State's financial exposure.
He directed the Solicitor-General to prepare a detailed brief for the President on the problem's scale and its implications for public finances, describing it as a major challenge requiring urgent attention. Additionally, Dr Ayine disclosed that 10 international arbitration cases were pending against the State. "We inherited about nine of them when we came into office," he said, noting that "one was just filed last year against the government of Ghana by a company known as Blue Gold."
Addressing staffing and funding challenges at the Ministry, particularly within the Legislative Drafting Division, Dr Ayine stated, "They are overworked and underpaid," calling for urgent investment in training additional legislative drafters. To enhance internal revenue generation, he announced plans to introduce a Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill, which would allow the Attorney-General's Office to confiscate assets linked to criminal activity through criminal and civil processes.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang commended the Attorney-General and his team for their efforts and pledged government support. "We want to assure you that we have your back," she said, urging enhanced public education to counter misinformation, particularly on ORAL and plea bargaining. She also called on State agencies to act responsibly to reduce the incidence of international arbitrations against the country. "Regardless of who initiated the international arbitrations we are facing, it is ultimately about the country," she stated, encouraging State agencies to act diligently to avoid exposing the State to avoidable international arbitration.