President John Dramani Mahama has asked the Majority Leader of Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, to withdraw the Private Member’s Bill seeking to repeal the Act that established the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
According to the Presidency, President Mahama has maintained his position to support to strengthen the institution as a crucial element in Ghana’s fight against corruption.
This was contained in a statement from the Presidency on December 11, signed by Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, Member of Parliament Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
In the statement, it states, “President John Dramani Mahama has requested the Majority Leader and Majority Chief Whip in Parliament to withdraw the Private Member’s Bill tabled for the repeal of the Act establishing The Office of Special Prosecutor.”
It added that the directive followed the President’s public reaffirmation of his support for the OSP during a meeting with the National Peace Council.
“The President’s request follows his public expression of support for the strengthening of The Office of Special Prosecutor as a vital cog in the fight against corruption at a meeting with The Peace Council yesterday.”
The statement further noted that the President has urged the OSP to intensify its work to build stronger public confidence.
“The President also reiterates his call on The Office of The Special Prosecutor to do more to boost public confidence in its work and frontally tackle corruption in line with the objectives informing the establishment of the office.”
The Private Member’s Bill, drafted by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, sought to abolish the OSP and return all corruption-related prosecutorial powers solely to the Attorney-General.
On Wednesday, December 10, President Mahama met with the National Peace Council and described calls to scrap the OSP as “premature,” stressing that the institution remains a crucial part of Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture.
The OSP has also recently come under increased public scrutiny, with some groups calling for its dissolution or for the dismissal of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
Despite these concerns, the President has maintained that the office should be strengthened, not repealed.
