The Special Prosecutor, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, has stated that the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has helped Ghana to develop a strong and effective anti-corruption framework.
Mr Agyebeng noted that while Ghana had introduced various anti-corruption bodies over the years, structural gaps and legal constraints had undermined their full effectiveness.
“The more laws we pass, the more people steal and nothing happens,” he remarked, stressing that mere legislation without bold enforcement mechanisms does little to curb corruption.
Read: Akufo-Addo urges unity in national thanksgiving observance
Speaking at the 2025 African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC) High-Level Conference in Accra, Mr Agyebeng described the OSP as the nation’s most potent institutional response yet in the fight against both public and private sector corruption.
Themed “Revitalising the Anti-Corruption Architecture in Africa: Ghana’s Accountability Journey”, the event provided a platform for reflecting on Ghana’s progress and ongoing challenges in tackling corruption, 68 years after gaining independence.
He cited institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), whose prosecutorial limitations hamper their effectiveness, especially when dealing with politically exposed persons.
He described the OSP as uniquely positioned due to its four-fold mandate—investigating, prosecuting, recovering assets, and taking proactive steps to prevent corruption. This, he said, gives it the independence and agility needed to fight corruption in real terms.
“While the OSP is not without its challenges—as is the case with all human institutions—we now have a golden opportunity to re-tool and strengthen it further, especially as Ghana undertakes a constitutional review,” he added.
Mr Agyebeng, however, warned that the nation’s laws are lagging behind modern criminal innovations and technology. He also identified difficulties in confronting wealthy individuals involved in corruption and the reactive nature of Ghana’s anti-corruption measures as major roadblocks.
To build a future-proof system, he called for an anti-corruption framework that can “withstand attacks,” adding that “no system is perfect, but ours must be strong enough to endure.”
The Special Prosecutor also advocated integrating integrity education into Ghana’s school curriculum to nurture a new generation of corruption-resilient citizens.
“We must strive to change the narrative,” he urged, “and keep the glimmer on the horizon glowing until the light shines fully over a just and prosperous Ghana.”
In a goodwill message, Madam Yvonne Mutepuka Chibiya, a Board Member of AUABC, lauded Ghana’s efforts in strengthening its domestic anti-corruption architecture. She commended the establishment of the OSP and the passage of the Right to Information Act as critical milestones.
Madam Chibiya also praised Ghana for being among the first countries to ratify the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC), and pledged the AUABC’s continued support in helping Ghana refine its legal and institutional frameworks in pursuit of a united, corruption-free continent.