BY: DANIEL OTU ASANTE
05-09-2024
A confrontation erupted on Wednesday 4th September 2024, at the Ministry of Finance as the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Brigade, a youth group affiliated with the main opposition National Democratic Congress, clashed with security personnel.
The ORAL Brigade gathered at the Finance Ministry to protest alleged financial mismanagement under the Akufo-Addo-led Government.
The ORAL Brigade, predominantly made up of NDC’s youth wing members, staged the protest to demand accountability and transparency from the Akufo-Addo led administration. According to the group, government has engaged in significant financial irregularities, prompting them to intensify their calls for scrutiny in recent weeks.
At the center of the protest is the controversial USD 34.9 million Ambulance Spare Parts deal, which the group claims involve dubious procurement processes and questionable use of funds intended for emergency medical services.
“This transaction exemplifies the kind of opaque deals draining public resources and we the youth of this country will not watch these people syphon every resources all we have, said the convener for the ORAL Brigade.”
Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga joined the protesters and raised concerns over the Ghana Revenue Authority’s partnership with Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML), He says, “the deal did not pass through the right processes and therefore needs to be stopped since it will not benefit Ghana in any way. I am calling on the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia Government to terminate any contract of such if not, the next Mahama Government will abrogation all these arrangements.”
Some protesters of ‘ORAL’ also shared similar concerns.
Despite the clash with security forces, the ORAL Brigade vowed to continue their campaign against what they see as rampant corruption and financial mismanagement, pledging to keep pressuring the government for answers and accountability.