The Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, has cautioned that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) will face serious criticism if it fails to improve its work despite receiving government support, funding, and legal backing.
Speaking on Tuesday, the South Dayi MP said he agrees with President John Mahama’s call for patience with the OSP, but stressed that the institution must now prove that it is serious about fighting corruption and producing better results.
“I believe in the wisdom of the president,” he said when asked whether he had changed his earlier criticism of the anti-corruption office.
He explained that the President had advised critics to “disengage” and allow the OSP another chance to improve its performance.
“He himself knows that the OSP could do better,” the Majority Chief Whip stated.
Mr. Dafeamekpor said the OSP cannot effectively fight corruption if it continues to focus mainly on Accra. According to him, corruption and abuse of public funds happen across the country, not only in the capital.
“We’ve given them a mandate under the OSP Act to establish regional offices,” he said.
“Don’t be cocooned in Accra and seek to fight crime. Crime is not only coterminous with the people or the lifestyle in Metropolitan Accra or Tema.”
He pointed out that reports from the Auditor-General show that financial misconduct and misuse of public funds are common in many district assemblies and state institutions nationwide.
“If you check the Auditor General’s report, crime is pervasive in the district within the assembly, especially lots of pilfering and a deliberate decision on the part of public servants to simply ignore the law and do what they will do, and pilfer from the public purse,” he stressed.
According to him, opening OSP offices in districts and regions would help reduce corruption because public officials would become more careful in carrying out their duties.
“So, we have district offices, and we also have regional offices to coordinate your offices in the various districts,” he said.
“If every district knows that there is an OSP officer resident in the district, certain things won’t happen in the assemblies, and some of the statutory agencies operating in the district would do things differently.”
When he was asked whether the OSP still deserved more time to improve, Mr. Dafeamekpor said yes, but warned that the office must show commitment and expansion.
“Yes, but when you are not committed to expanding, then I have a problem with you,” he said.
“Then I will question why we give you so much money, and yet you are delivering so little.”
