Make OSP independent — Kissi Agyebeng

Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has proposed constitutional recognition of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as part of measures to strengthen its independence and improve Ghana’s fight against corruption.

He argued that placing the OSP under the Constitution would help shield the institution from undue political and external influence while giving it a stronger legal foundation.

Mr Agyebeng made the proposal at the National Anti-Corruption Dialogue 2026 in Accra, held under the theme, “From Commitment to Delivery: Reviewing the Mahama Administration's Anti-Corruption Agenda After 18 Months.”

The event, organised by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and Transparency International-Ghana, provided a platform for stakeholders to assess the country’s anti-corruption efforts.

The Special Prosecutor said constitutional protection would need to be complemented by financial independence. He therefore called for dedicated funding arrangements to reduce the reliance of anti-corruption institutions on regular budgetary allocations.

Mr Agyebeng also advocated the introduction of lifestyle audits to address cases where an individual’s assets and standard of living appeared inconsistent with their known lawful income.

Under the proposed arrangement, persons whose wealth could not reasonably be explained by their legitimate earnings would be required to account for how they acquired their assets.

He, however, stressed that the process must respect due process and should not be used to bypass established legal safeguards.

Mr Agyebeng further argued that requiring anti-corruption agencies to secure criminal convictions before pursuing unexplained wealth made asset recovery more difficult.

EOCO seeks new legal framework
The Head of the Legal and Prosecution Unit of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Leo Anthony Siamah, called for the prompt passage of a new EOCO Bill.

He said the proposed legislation would enhance EOCO’s investigative powers and strengthen its ability to recover assets through non-conviction-based procedures.

Mr Siamah also urged the government to provide anti-corruption agencies with digital forensic equipment, specialised personnel and adequate financial resources to respond effectively to increasingly complex financial crimes.

GACC highlights impact of corruption
Chairman of the GACC, Nana Osei-Bonsu, said corruption continued to erode public confidence, weaken state institutions, undermine service delivery and obstruct inclusive national development.

He noted that the challenge persisted despite Ghana’s democratic progress and successive initiatives aimed at combating corruption.

According to him, the dialogue was intended to review anti-corruption commitments made ahead of the December 2024 elections, identify areas requiring attention and develop practical measures to promote transparency, accountability and integrity in governance.