By: Ashiadey Dotse
Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, says the calls to scrap the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) are misplaced because the real problem lies with the conduct of the people running the office, not the law that created it.
Speaking in an interview on GTV Current Agenda show on Saturday December 6, 2025, Mr. Ahiagbah stated clearly that the recent issues surrounding the OSP are a result of what he described as “excesses” and abuses by its current occupants. According to him, the OSP has stretched its powers “to unreasonable limits,” leading to wrongful detentions and harsh bail conditions that keep people in custody unnecessarily.
He said these actions are not faults of the OSP Act itself but stem from how the Special Prosecutor and his team are using their authority. “The Act is resolute,” he said, explaining that the law already provides enough independence and even allows the office to seek grants if government funding is inadequate.
The NPP communicator stressed that democracy must always come first. He noted that while corruption must be fought, it should never be done in a way that violates citizens’ rights. He cited cases involving media personality Paul Adom-Okyere and former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as examples of questionable treatment by the OSP.
He insisted that the individuals running the OSP appear to believe their mandate is above democratic principles, which, he said, is “the real problem.” He added that if those in charge cannot operate within democratic standards, they should be removed individually rather than collapsing the entire institution.
Mr. Ahiagbah also rejected claims that the NPP created the OSP to target members of the NDC, describing the allegation as “completely unfounded” and without merit.
He emphasised that Ghana still needs the OSP to fight corruption, but warned that this fight must not break the rights of citizens. “The rights of citizens are sacrosanct in a democracy,” he said, adding that if these rights are not protected, the nation’s democratic system could be weakened.
His comment came on the back of numerous call by some members of parliament and Speaker for the repeal of the law that established the office and abolishing it.
