The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is facing mounting criticism from members of Parliament, who argue that nearly eight years after its establishment, the institution has failed to justify the enormous public funds allocated to it.
During discussions on the OSP’s budget estimates on Friday, March 28, lawmakers took turns scrutinizing its performance.
Many expressed concerns that despite receiving substantial financial support, the OSP has delivered minimal results in tackling corruption.
Hon. Isaac Boamah Nyarko, MP for Effia, was particularly vocal about the issue, questioning the office’s operational efficiency.
He noted that although the OSP has a staff of fewer than 250, its compensation costs stand at “1.8 million cedis”.
“What is the justification for this? We are cutting budgets for other ministries and agencies, but the OSP continues to pay high compensation for a relatively small team. Why is this the case?”
Hon. Isaac Boamah Nyarko
The MP further compared the OSP’s budget to other institutions, revealing that while Legal Aid received only 5 million cedis, the OSP had been allocated 32 million cedis for goods and services and 47 million cedis for capital expenditure in previous years.
“Given all the resources allocated to the OSP, what has the office delivered to Ghana in return?” he questioned, highlighting the lack of transparency and tangible results.
Nyarko also pointed to the OSP’s mandate, which allows it to retain 30% of all recoveries made by the office. However, he noted that no significant recoveries have been made.
“If the Special Prosecutor works for a year and makes no recoveries, that is a complete failure. If no recoveries are being made, how can we assess the performance of the OSP?”
Hon. Isaac Boamah Nyarko
He emphasized that the Attorney General, who supports the OSP’s allocation of over 140 million cedis, must ensure that the budget is rigorously reviewed to guarantee value for money.
No Convictions, Few Cases
A glaring issue raised during the session was the OSP’s failure to secure a single conviction in nearly eight years.
According to documents presented to the committee, the OSP currently has only three criminal cases in progress—a figure that further fueled concerns about the institution’s effectiveness.
MP for Manhyia South, Hon. Baffuor Agyei Awuah, also criticized the OSP for straying from its primary mandate.
“It has been eight years since the OSP was established, and there hasn’t been a single conviction. According to the agency’s own documents, it currently has only three criminal cases after all these years. When you examine these cases, it’s clear that the office’s focus has shifted. Why is this the case?”
Hon. Baffuor Agyei Awuah
He stressed that the OSP was set up to protect the public purse and that the current budget review must ensure the office is delivering on that responsibility.
“The Auditor General’s role is to monitor government spending, but when reviewing the OSP’s documents, there is little focus on the Auditor General’s work. It appears that the OSP has strayed from its primary mandate.”
Hon. Baffuor Agyei Awuah
Hon. Awuah highlighted the disconnect between the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) priorities and the ongoing issues of government inefficiencies frequently exposed during Public Accounts Committee hearings.
He argued that while these hearings reveal significant lapses that erode public confidence in the system, the OSP appears to be overlooking such concerns and instead directing its attention to matters like stool lands, which fall outside its core mandate.
The concerns raised by MPs paint a troubling picture of an institution that, despite its initial promise, has yet to make a meaningful impact in the fight against corruption.
For an office tasked with prosecuting corruption-related offenses, its inability to secure convictions or even significantly advance cases raises legitimate doubts about its effectiveness.
If no urgent reforms are made, the OSP risks becoming another expensive yet ineffective government institution, consuming public funds without producing results.
With mounting pressure from lawmakers and the public, the Special Prosecutor must address these concerns, streamline its operations, and ensure that the resources allocated to it translate into concrete outcomes.
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