Director of Policy Advocacy and Engagement at CDD-Ghana, Dr. Kojo Asante has strongly criticised a Private Members’ Bill that seeks to repeal the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) Act, 2017 (Act 959).
He described the initiative as a betrayal of public trust.
The bill, introduced by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, aims to return full authority for prosecuting corruption-related offences to the Attorney-General, in line with Article 88 of the Constitution.
The memorandum supporting the bill argues that after eight years of operation, the OSP has faced several structural and constitutional problems, including duplication of roles, friction between institutions, jurisdictional overlaps, and delays in the criminal justice process.
Responding in a Facebook post on Thursday, December 11, 2025, Dr. Asante said he was both shocked and angered by the proposal.
“First thing on my mind today, December 11, 2025. If the NDC majority pushes this bill through Parliament, it will be the greatest betrayal of trust. I am shocked and very angry,” he wrote.
He continued: “This is not what was promised to Ghanaians in the fight against corruption. Ghanaians do not want this, so who are the MPs representing themselves? Is that what the large majority in Parliament is going to be used for? Ghanaians must let all the MPs know on their socials that they represent us and not themselves.”
Dr. Asante also questioned the urgency behind the repeal effort, arguing that the constitutional review process offers the appropriate platform for citizens to shape the country’s anti-corruption framework.
“Now I am convinced more than ever that we need an independent prosecutor for corruption matters. The fact that politicians on all sides have come out to support repeal, while the rest of society wants to keep the OSP, tells the story,” he stated.
He warned that scrapping the OSP could weaken the fight against corruption, adding, “The sad part is that with all the threats to the stability of our state and democracy coming from the looting of public resources and impunity, this is what we think we should do to aid the fight against corruption. We have a much bigger problem for the future of this country.”
