ORAL Findings: $21 Billion Potential Recovery From Corruption Cases And State Lands, 2417 Complaints – Ablakwa

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Chairman of Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) has revealed shocking findings regarding embezzlement of state funds and the potential recovery of stolen public assets.

The committee reviewed 2,417 complaints from the public and thoroughly investigated 36 high-profile cases, which Ablakwa claimed points to serious corruption involving significant misappropriation of public funds.

Speaking as the team presented its report to President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, February 10, 2025, Ablakwa, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, disclosed that these 36 cases could potentially lead to the recovery of up to $20.49 billion if the government successfully retrieves the embezzled funds.

“Thirty-six cases that we have reviewed in detail if we are successful in recoveries, we can retrieve as much as $20.49 billion – 20.49 billion United States dollars! Thirty-six cases!” he announced.

He specifically mentioned cases such as the National Cathedral project, the Power Distribution Services (PDS) scandal, and the decommissioning of the Salt Point by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), among others. While he chose not to delve deeply into the details, he remarked, “There’s a great deal of resources belonging to the taxpayers that can be retrieved.”

“If we successfully ask people to pay the conservative market value for the lands they have looted, the experts are telling us that we can recover about $702.8 million for the Ghanaian people,” Ablakwa said.

He noted that individuals who had acquired prime state land for amounts as low as GH₵42,000 or GH₵120,000 could potentially be made to pay its true market value, which could be as high as $500,000 or $600,000. “You will even struggle to get Cantonments land at that figure, so very conservative estimates,” he added.

Combining the estimated recoveries from the 36 corruption cases and the potential funds from state land, Ablakwa added, “Just a summary, the 36 cases, the high-value cases that we put together, and then the land loot, potentially we can raise about $21.19 billion.”