By Felix Cofie
A Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Dr Abdul-Jalilu Ateku, has attributed the growing pressure on government to scrap the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to the NDC’s strong anti-corruption campaign.
Speaking on GBC’s Current Agenda Programme Current Agenda, Dr Ateku, the NDC placed significant emphasis on fighting corruption while in opposition, and now that the party is in government, public expectations are high. He explained that when prosecutions of alleged corrupt officials of the previous administration do not materialise as quickly as expected, some supporters begin calling for the scrapping of the OSP.
Despite this, Dr Ateku said he does not support calls for the abolition of the office. He described the OSP as a critical institution, noting that its independence allows it to prosecute politically exposed persons—cases which, for reasons of political expediency, the Attorney-General’s Department may be unable to pursue.
The political scientist further stressed that the Office of the Special Prosecutor is still in its formative stages and should be given the necessary support and time to succeed in fulfilling its mandate.
