Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has issued a stark warning to President John Dramani Mahama, urging him to take decisive action against alleged backdoor deals involving top officials of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to protect his administration’s integrity.
In a recent Facebook post, Awuni referenced his 2025 open letter to the president, titled “Goldmines and Landmines,” where he cautioned the new administration about potential pitfalls in its anti-corruption initiative, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL). This program is designed to retrieve stolen state resources.
“Going after stolen wealth is a slippery path,” Awuni wrote in his original letter. “Those who have stolen millions of dollars can easily cut deals with some of your officials and appointees.” He further warned that if the president shows any signs of weakness, ORAL could become a major scandal, disarming him from embarking on any serious accountability.
Awuni’s warning appears to be prophetic following recent revelations by NDC General Secretary Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey. Kwetey disclosed that some senior party members were secretly negotiating with corrupt officials from the previous administration, attempting to impede prosecution.
“Many among us, despite the fact that pleas and pressure are coming that punishment has to be meted and this must be done properly, some among us are busy trying to cut deals with people who are supposed to be prosecuted,” Kwetey stated.
Awuni described Kwetey’s revelation as “troubling” and stressed the urgency for President Mahama to act. “I only hope that with Fiifi Kwetey’s revelation, which may not be news to the president, President John Mahama will crack the whip and save his legacy,” he said, adding, “Ghana cannot afford another business as usual.”
The development has ignited a fresh public debate on whether the ORAL initiative can maintain its credibility amidst these allegations of internal compromises.