Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo is advocating for stricter checks on public officials to prevent the misuse of government resources and ensure accountability.
Speaking after the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee presented its report to President John Dramani Mahama, Domelevo expressed deep concern over the blatant abuse of power by officials managing public funds and properties.
“What shocked me the most was the extreme abuse of public office, where you are the custodian of public funds and use it for yourself, or you are supposed to keep custody of government property and land, and you allocate it to yourself or your cronies,” he stated.
Domelevo lamented the lack of consequences for such misbehavior, which has fueled a culture of impunity in governance.
However, he expressed cautious optimism about recent developments, particularly the president’s stance on accountability.
“The body language and the posturing of the president and his team, to me, is heartwarming… If the president carries out the next stage, which I find very critical, we will save good sums of money.”
Domelevo emphasized the need to end the misuse of public office for personal or political gain. Officials, he said, should not assume that their positions entitle them to appropriate public property for their benefit or that of their associates.
He commended the president’s approach to tackling corruption, especially the focus on preventing future abuses through Operation Prevent All Loots (OPAL).
“One thing that made me happy was the fact that the president didn’t only talk about ORAL, but OPAL… Let’s try and find ways to mop up the leakages that have already happened, but we should prevent additional leakages.”