President John Dramani Mahama has urged the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to quicken its investigations and prove its relevance in Ghana’s anti-corruption drive.
Addressing the National Peace Council at the Jubilee House in Accra on Wednesday, December 10, the President said calls for the abolition of the OSP were premature, despite ongoing controversies surrounding the institution.
He highlighted the OSP’s distinctive role among anti-corruption agencies, noting that it is the only body with independent prosecutorial powers, enabling it to pursue cases without recourse to the Attorney General.
“I think it’s premature to call for the closure of that office,” President Mahama stated.
“The unique thing about that office is it is the only anti-corruption agency that has prosecutorial powers to be able to prosecute themselves without going through the Attorney General. People had mistrust for the Attorney General because the Attorney General normally is a member of government and is a Minister of State, and so they believe that the Attorney General would be very reluctant to prosecute his own.”
He explained that the OSP’s independence ensures accountability regardless of political affiliation.
“But if there’s an independent office like the Office of the Special Prosecutor, it won’t matter who you are because they have security of tenure and they have prosecutorial powers whether you’re a member of government, a former government official, or anyone who has misappropriated public funds. The law is behind them to be able to prosecute you,” he said.
President Mahama acknowledged public demand for stronger action against corruption but appealed for patience, urging the OSP to demonstrate its effectiveness through timely prosecutions.
“So I think we should give them a little time. Of course, people want to see more prosecutions and more results, and so I’ll just urge the OSP to speed up some of these investigations and show people that the office is still very relevant,” he added.
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