Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Rashid Tanko-Computer, has insisted that despite the debate surrounding the relevance of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), weakening the institution is dangerous for Ghana’s democratic and accountability architecture.
Speaking in a media engagement, he rejected calls from some elements within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the scrapping of the OSP, describing such appeals as destructive to the national interest and counterproductive to the fight against corruption.
He argued that the political class must allow “accountability systems to function without interference,” stressing the need for a renewed commitment to deterrence, fairness and institutional strength.
Tanko-Computer criticised the growing wave of partisan attacks targeting the OSP, questioning why an institution established to safeguard public resources should suddenly be treated as an enemy. He reminded critics of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s earlier public commitment to the office, arguing that such a pledge should guide the conduct of party loyalists and political actors.
“The then President did not mince words when he said he would strengthen the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Let us allow the OSP to do its work. I disagree with the NPP on this one. The OSP must work. ORAL must work. Let every institution responsible for accountability do its job”
Rashid Tanko-Computer, GIFEC CEO
He strongly rejected the notion that the office should be shut down simply because its recent investigations have unsettled some political interests, stressing that corruption can only be tackled when institutions are protected, not undermined.
Tanko-Computer insisted that anti-corruption agencies “require broad public backing to operate effectively,” and any attempt to constrain them risks eroding public trust in governance.
He highlighted that Ghana must move toward an environment where corruption becomes costly rather than beneficial, arguing that accountability will only thrive when citizens and political actors accept that institutions must act impartially.
“We are going to make corruption a disincentive, so that when people serve their time and come back, they will start from scratch,” he added.
Removal of the Former Chief Justice
Tanko-Computer also waded into the controversy surrounding the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, a matter that has generated significant political heat, dismissing claims – especially from the NPP – that the removal was politically motivated. He insisted that the constitutional processes were followed meticulously.
According to him, no article of the constitution was breached and no procedural step was ignored.
The GIFEC CEO reminded the public that the matter did not begin under the current government, noting that a similar petition for the former Chief Justice’s removal had been submitted during President Nana Akufo-Addo’s tenure. At the time, the Council of State dismissed the petition after determining that there was no prima facie case.
He then questioned why a process accepted and celebrated under the previous administration would suddenly be labelled political when the same constitutional mechanisms produced a different outcome under President John Dramani Mahama.
“Sometimes they talk as if Madam Tokono was a woman organiser of NPP. I’m surprised at that,” Tanko-Computer observed the emotional reactions with concern, suggesting that some critics were acting as though the former Chief Justice belonged to their political fold.
He reiterated that when Professor Kwaku Azar, activist and legal academic, first petitioned for an inquiry into the conduct of the former Chief Justice under the previous administration, the same Article 146 procedures were triggered and the Council of State advised against further action.
He stressed that the NDC, then in opposition, did not challenge that decision because it respected the constitutional process and the authority of the then President.
He pointed out that the only difference now was the with the Council of State unanimously determining that a prima facie case existed and reminded political actors that constitutional integrity must supersede partisan interests.
To him, Ghana’s democracy is strengthened when institutions, not political parties, guide decisions on accountability and judicial oversight. The GIFEC CEO urged all Ghanaians to respect constitutional procedures and allow institutions to function without political manipulation.
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