The Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Rockson Dafeamakpor, has cautioned against attributing the exposure of the controversial SML revenue assurance contract to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), insisting the institution played no meaningful role in uncovering the scandal.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, December 22, Mr Dafeamakpor argued that public pressure, sustained media scrutiny and executive intervention—rather than the actions of the OSP—led to the eventual cancellation of the SML contract.

“We shouldn’t pretend that the OSP brought the SML matter to light. It didn’t do anything to expose it,” he said.

According to him, the contract became a national issue following extensive public debate and investigations that raised serious questions about value for money, eventually prompting President John Dramani Mahama to direct its termination.

Mr Dafeamakpor maintained that credit should go to civic vigilance and political leadership, not institutions that only acted after the matter had already gained national traction.

His comments come amid criminal charges filed by the OSP against six former government officials over their alleged roles in the SML deal, which the Special Prosecutor claims resulted in financial losses to the state exceeding GH¢1.4 billion.

The OSP has accused the officials of forming a “criminal enterprise” to secure the contract through false representations and abuse of public office.

While acknowledging the gravity of the allegations now before the courts, the Majority Chief Whip stressed that the wider conversation must centre on practical and effective anti-corruption enforcement.

He reiterated his position that institutions should be assessed not by their statutory mandates but by measurable outcomes, stressing that “the fight against corruption cannot only exist on paper; it must be seen and felt by the public.”