Constitutional review process: We must write OSP into the constitution and firm it up — Kissi Agyebeng

The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has said his Office (OSP) must be carefully weaved into the ongoing constitutional review process for the independence to fight corruption at all levels.

To ensure the independence and protection of the OSP from political interference, Mr. Agyabeng strongly indicated that the inclusion of the Office of the Special Prosecutor in the constitution is non-negotiable.

Mr. Agyebeng noted that the battle against corruption must be given strong legal backing to make corruption a high-risk and costly venture.

“We must write the Office of the Special Prosecutor into the constitution and firm it up,” he noted. “Do not dwell on me. My tenure will end at some point and like everyone else, I will leave the scene. The focus should be on building institutions that stand the test of time.”

He made the statement during a public lecture in Accra on Friday, February 28, hosted by the One Ghana Movement in partnership with the UPSA School of Law to commemorate this year's Constitution Day.

He further appealed to the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, who also delivered a review lecture, the need for modernised laws to tackle corruption, rather than relying on the current ones enacted way back in the 1960s.

The Special Prosecutor also advocated the formation of dedicated anti-corruption courts staffed with judges qualified to handle corruption-related crimes expeditiously.

He advocated for the inclusion of anti-corruption studies in basic and secondary school curricula to foster an integrity culture among youth.

The Special Prosecutor emphasised that the fight against corruption demands immense sacrifice from us all, suggesting that "It requires purging oneself of reproach and forming a containment ring of communal reckoning of not having a choice about it but to keep suppressing and repressing such acts.”