The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has issued a strong call for the government to ensure the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) operates without interference.

Speaking during a media interaction in Bolgatanga, Mr Mahama expressed his concerns about perceived government meddling in the affairs of the OSP.

Mr Mahama highlighted the critical role of the OSP in investigating and prosecuting corruption and other criminal activities. 

He emphasised that an independent OSP is essential for maintaining the integrity of Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts and ensuring that justice is served without bias or political influence.

The former president pledged his commitment to allowing the OSP to operate freely in his next administration. 

He stressed that an autonomous OSP is crucial for restoring public trust in the government's ability to combat corruption effectively.

According to Mr Mahama, the country will continue to lose scarce resources to corrupt individuals if anti-corruption institutions are not granted the autonomy they need to perform their duties. 

He urged the current administration to respect the independence of the OSP and refrain from any actions that could undermine its work.

Mr Mahama also called on the public to support efforts to protect the integrity of the OSP. 

He noted that a collective commitment to fighting corruption is necessary for the country’s progress and development.

“To be able to deal with corruption, I think that we should take away political interference.  We should leave the anti-corruption institutions to do their work. This government is fighting the OSP. Indeed they’ve made attempts to, they hounded the first one so much – Martin Amidu – that he had to resign.

"The OSP should be left to work and I make that commitment when I come into office, the special prosecutor would have a free hand to do any investigations he wants."

“What we do is it’s easy when you come into office to investigate your predecessor government. They are your political opponents so investigating them and prosecuting them indeed you will enjoy doing it, but the real test of the fight against corruption is when it happens in your regime that you are able to investigate and deal with it,” he said.