The 2024 presidential candidate of the People’s National Party (PNP), Janet Nabla, has waded into the ongoing debate over the powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), claiming that even the attorney general is “scared to the bone” of the anti-corruption body.

Speaking on Adom FM Dwaso Nsem, Madam Nabla strongly opposed calls to weaken or scrap the OSP, insisting the office remains a critical tool in Ghana’s fight against corruption.

“Both the NDC and NPP are scared of the Special Prosecutor's Office. The attorney general is scared to the bones about the existence of the OSP, and all he is doing is cover up the rot going on in the current government. Because while in opposition, they saw what the OSP did, so they know his capabilities,” she said.

Her comments come amid a growing power tussle between the Attorney-General’s Department and the OSP, following legal and political debates over prosecutorial authority.

Madam Nabla argued that beyond prosecutions, the mere existence of the OSP serves as a deterrent to corrupt practices among political actors, suggesting that the influence of the OSP cuts across political lines, affecting both major parties.

“To me, I am against scrapping the Special Prosecutor’s Office. We have to protect it. I didn’t agree with the special prosecutor positioning himself as an NDC member when the party assumed power, and I was sad. He is an independent body and should have remained as such. Now look at what they are doing to you,” she stated.

Nabla also criticised attempts to limit the prosecutorial powers of the OSP, describing recent developments as worrying for Ghana’s democratic and anti-corruption efforts.

“The court that is supposed to protect our democracy is now holding on to the prosecutorial powers of the special prosecutor. On what basis?” she questioned.

Despite her criticisms, she acknowledged that the establishment of the OSP was a significant step in strengthening accountability in governance.

“I respect the NPP even more because they brought the Special Prosecutor’s Office,” she noted.

Nabla maintained that Ghana must protect and strengthen the OSP rather than weaken it, stressing that the fight against corruption requires bold and independent institutions.

Her remarks add to the growing national conversation on the roles of the attorney general and the special prosecutor and how best to ensure effective prosecution of corruption-related offenses in the country.