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President John Dramani Mahama has stepped in to halt an ongoing legislative effort to dissolve the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), requesting that the Majority Leader and the Majority Chief Whip immediately withdraw the private member’s bill seeking its repeal. The directive was communicated in a statement from the Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, on Thursday, December 11.
According to the statement, the President’s request aligns with his public reaffirmation of support for the OSP, which he described as a vital institution in Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture. The statement further noted that the intervention follows President Mahama’s remarks at a meeting with the Peace Council, where he called for the strengthening of the OSP rather than its abolition.
The proposed Office of the Special Prosecutor (Repeal) Bill, 2025, was introduced by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor. The lawmakers argued that the OSP had been plagued by structural inefficiencies, duplication of prosecutorial functions with the Attorney-General’s office, high operational expenses, and what they referred to as minimal impact since its establishment eight years ago.
Their proposal recommended returning all corruption-related prosecutorial powers to the Attorney-General and creating a dedicated anti-corruption division within that office. They contended that such restructuring would provide a more streamlined and cost-effective framework for fighting corruption.
President Mahama’s directive, however, signals a clear preference for reforming the OSP instead of scrapping it. He emphasised the need for the institution to improve its performance, restore public confidence, and take more decisive action in combating corruption. He also urged Parliament to suspend the repeal attempt and redirect attention toward measures that would strengthen the OSP’s independence, effectiveness, and operational capacity.
