In Ghana, “looting” is more like “State Enchantment” than embezzlement

1. The incoming government in Ghana wants to recover “loot” presumedly stashed by outgoing government functionaries in dark corners around the world. A preparatory committee has been named to expedite the initiative, dubbed ORAL.

2. It is a common refrain of new governments in Africa to beat the drums about the ill-gotten gains of their predecessors. In many countries, the enthusiasm rarely matches the results.

3. Yet, there are countries like Nigeria, Angola, Uzbekistan, and others that have implemented recovery measures that have netted billions.

4. There is certainly international recognition of what is at stake in this fight. In 2020, the African Union issued the Addis Ababa declaration on the African Common Position on Asset Recovery...