Dr Joshua Zaato, a political scientist at the University of Ghana’s Political Science Department, has urged the government to be transparent about the ultimate direction of its anti-corruption drive under Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), warning that not every case may end in court.

Dr Joshua Zaato, a Senior Lecturer in the University of Ghana’s Political Science Department, said that while freezing GH¢1.5 billion in assets is a major step, the public deserves clarity on whether some cases could be resolved through negotiated settlements rather than full prosecution.

Speaking on the AM Show, Dr Zaato cautioned against what he described as “tunnel vision” in the pursuit of accountability.

“The question is: what is the end game here?” he asked.

“It’s possible that you suspect there might be corruption, but something tells you — you cannot win this case in court.”

His comments come after government officials revealed that assets worth GH¢1.5 billion had been frozen as part of investigations under the ORAL initiative, a key anti-corruption policy of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dr Zaato acknowledged that Attorney General Dr Dominic Ayine and his deputy appear determined to avoid rushing weak cases to court merely to satisfy political expectations.

He said their approach reflects a legal reality often overlooked in public debates about corruption prosecutions.

“I’m not going to just take any case to court and get myself embarrassed,” he said, paraphrasing the Attorney General’s position on building strong cases before initiating prosecutions.

The political scientist stressed that he strongly supports holding public officials accountable for abusing their offices, provided the process respects legal procedures and protects fundamental human rights.

However, he warned that lengthy court battles could undermine the effectiveness of the anti-corruption effort.

According to him, corruption cases in Ghana sometimes drag on for years — in some instances up to eight years — draining public resources while delivering little closure for the public.

Dr. Zaato therefore called on the Attorney General’s office to publish a comprehensive prosecutorial policy outlining how ORAL cases will be handled.

Such a framework, he said, should clarify when the state will pursue full trials, when it may negotiate settlements, and under what conditions asset recovery could be accepted as a resolution.

“If you engage in tunnel vision — that your only objective is to take everybody to court and jail everybody — that is tunnel vision,” he said. “There are other alternatives.”