Kofi Tonto, a close aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched a scathing attack on the Mahama administration’s economic management and anti-corruption efforts, describing the much-publicised Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) as “the most useless thing I have ever heard.”
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Afternoon Ghana with host Bright Amaning on Monday, March 2, Mr. Tonto dismissed claims by the current government that the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration left behind a “junk economy.”
“They claim that we left a junk economy. We don’t claim, but we were able to pay teachers. We’re able to pay nurses,” he said.
He contrasted the previous government’s handling of public sector workers — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic — with what he described as deteriorating conditions under President John Dramani Mahama:
“We were able to support government workers during COVID when they were not working. We paid them full. Frontline workers. We gave them 50 per cent in addition to salary and gave them tax-free.”
Tonto accused the current administration of failing to protect workers and imposing burdensome charges:
“With your so-called proper economy, you can’t pay teachers. You can’t pay nurses. Electricity, 27 per cent increment. Water, 20 per cent. Sustainability tax, you’ve increased it to 3 per cent. Non-life insurance, you’ve added 21 per cent. This is your so-called good economy.”
Strong Criticism of ORAL
The former aide was particularly scathing about Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), the government’s flagship anti-corruption initiative:
“It is the most useless thing I have ever heard.”
Referring to remarks attributed to Attorney General Dominic Ayine, Tonto alleged that the figures released under ORAL were based on “off-the-envelope calculations” rather than proper investigations:
“He said Ablakwa did off or back of the envelope calculation. What it means is that he took a sheet of paper. ‘Oh, Kofi has stolen five cities. Kwame has stolen 10. Yaw has stolen 15.’ Five plus 10 plus 15, this amount. Is that how you fight corruption?”
He questioned why public figures were released without thorough probes:
“Mr. President, you didn’t know you needed investigation before you allowed Okudzeto Ablakwa to recklessly put out a figure.”
Tonto also mocked the reported plan to retrieve $240 million from the Bank of Ghana:
“A government has built an institution at the cost of $240 million and you claim that you are going to retrieve all of that $240 million. Is that sensible?”
Galamsey and River Treatment Costs
On illegal mining (galamsey), Tonto criticised what he called overconfident promises from government officials, including Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George:
“Arrogant braggarts walking around. We are going to fight galamsey in one week.”
He argued that the practical challenges of treating polluted rivers were being ignored:
“Today, you need 200,000 a kilometre to put some water or some chemical in a flowing water. You are going to put chemical in a flowing water. You guys have to be serious. You need 200,000 for 173 kilometres for just one river.”
Tonto’s comments reflect the opposition’s growing narrative that the government is failing to deliver on key promises from worker welfare and corruption recovery to environmental protection while relying on what he called “false narratives” and unrealistic projections.
