Special Prosecutor Mr. Kissi Agyebeng on 28th February, 2025 delivered a compelling lecture at Alisa Hotel on Constitutional Day, urging a radical shift in mindset and legal frameworks to combat corruption and state capture in Ghana.
His address, titled “A Few Good Men,” laid bare the stark realities of corruption in the country and the challenges faced by those who dare to fight it.
“I call for a constitutional reformation and a reimagination of our collective mindsets in the fight against corruption and state capture in aid of national development.”
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng Special Prosecutor
This, he asserted, was both his thesis and conclusion. However, he emphasized that he did not possess an absolute solution to the problem of corruption, acknowledging its deeply entrenched nature.
“I neither asked for this position nor did I lobby for it… Sacrificially, I eventually accepted the position after several weeks of prompting.”
“The position of the Special Prosecutor is a very thankless job. It fetches you droves of enemies daily, and it brings you into frontal contact with the lowest forms of debasement in humans. My security risk is ultra-high, and I have to perpetually be on the lookout for attacks on my person. The same applies to the operational officers of the OSP.”
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng Special Prosecutor
Despite these challenges, he remains steadfast, motivated by the hope of helping build a just and fair society.
The Paradox of Fighting Corruption
Mr. Agyebeng highlighted a fundamental contradiction in the fight against corruption—everyone demands accountability, yet no one welcomes scrutiny.
“There is always a strong pushback intended at deflecting the focus of scrutiny and accountability. The pushback is reflected in so many forms, including the sponsorship of attacks and vile publications against the Special Prosecutor and the OSP.”
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng Special Prosecutor
Mr. Agyebeng traced corruption’s roots to the earliest days of human existence, likening it to the biblical story of Adam and Eve.
“From the moment Eve allowed herself to be beguiled by the serpent, which precipitated the fall of man from grace, the human situation has been forged negatively in corruption.”
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng Special Prosecutor
He suggested that corruption is rarely an individual act but often the result of coordinated efforts by multiple actors seeking to exploit systems for personal gain.
Drawing from global anti-corruption efforts, he praised the work of organizations such as Transparency International, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). He also cited the late Kofi Annan’s definition of corruption.
“Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law. It leads to violations of human rights. It distorts markets. It erodes the quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism, and other threats to human security to flourish.”
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng Special Prosecutor
Mr. Agyebeng lamented the pervasive nature of corruption in Ghana, stating;
“We hear stories of corruption in almost every interaction with the systems of the state. We hear talk that apparently, one needs to pay a bribe to obtain some government jobs, to obtain school postings, to pass exams, to triumph in elections… even to obtain some state identification documents.”
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng Special Prosecutor
State Capture: The Elite’s Hold on Power
Beyond traditional corruption, Mr. Agyebeng highlighted state capture as a growing threat, where a small group of powerful individuals control decision-making and resource allocation for their benefit.
He warned that when an economy is hijacked by a few elites, national development suffers, and resources meant for the public good are siphoned into private hands.
In conclusion, Mr. Agyebeng reiterated the need for a collective, unyielding stance against corruption.
“The fight against corruption demands immense sacrifice from us all. It requires purging oneself of reproach first and then forming a containment rank of communal reckoning.”
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng Special Prosecutor
He called on Ghanaians to abandon apathy and actively participate in efforts to hold leaders accountable.
Despite the bleak realities of corruption, Mr. Agyebeng remains hopeful that meaningful change is possible. However, he cautioned that hope must be active and sustained.
His Constitutional Day lecture served as both a reflection and a call to action, urging Ghanaians to demand systemic change and remain vigilant in the fight against corruption.
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