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The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has been urged by President John Dramani Mahama to expedite its investigations and highlight its significance in Ghana’s battle against corruption.
Despite recent concerns surrounding the office, President Mahama stated that it is premature to call for the closure of the OSP during a meeting with the National Peace Council in Accra on Wednesday, December 10.
He emphasized that the OSP’s independent prosecutorial powers, which enable it to prosecute cases without consulting the Attorney General, set it apart from other anti-corruption organizations.
The President asked the OSP to provide results as soon as possible, emphasizing that prompt investigations and convictions would boost public trust and demonstrate the office’s remaining significance in Ghana’s anti-corruption initiatives.
“I think it’s premature to call for the closure of that office. 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 and so 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.
“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 or you’re a member of a previous government or you are anybody who has misappropriated public funds, they have the law is behind them to be able to prosecute you.
“So I think we should give them a little time you know of course people want to see you know more prosecutions and more results and so I’ll just urge the OSP to speed up you know some of these investigations and you know show people that the office is still very relevant,” President John Dramani Mahama stated.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
