The Executive Director of Transparency International Ghana, Mary Awalena Addah, has expressed concern over ongoing developments in the prosecutorial power debate between the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Attorney-General’s Department, describing the situation as unfortunate.

According to her, the current institutional tensions and debates surrounding the OSP risk distracting the office from its core mandate of investigating corruption-related offences, prosecuting cases, and supporting asset recovery and prevention efforts.

“All the other matters currently being discussed, which are distracting the Office of the Special Prosecutor from prosecuting its core mandate of investigating corruption and corruption-related offences—particularly those involving procurement—as well as pursuing asset recovery and implementing preventive measures against corruption, are unfortunate and serve to hinder its work.”

She noted that the establishment of the OSP was the result of long-standing governance reform recommendations aimed at creating a specialised institution to deal with corruption independently and efficiently.

Madam Addah cautioned that any actions or developments that shift focus away from the OSP’s core responsibilities could weaken ongoing efforts to combat corruption and reduce public confidence in accountability institutions.

She further emphasised the importance of institutional stability and consistent policy direction to ensure that anti-corruption bodies are able to function without interference or uncertainty.

According to her, maintaining a clear and uninterrupted mandate for the OSP is essential if Ghana is to sustain progress in the fight against corruption and strengthen the governance system.