The Special Prosecutor’s Office: A Noisy Dog That Does not Bite—FRANCIS APPIAH

Ghanaians demanded convictions and the return of stolen funds, not a press release agency. However, years later:

No prominent politician has been imprisoned.
Corruption-related losses of billions are still unaccounted for.
The OSP is quickly turning into a costly, ceremonial waste of money.

We hear phrases like “we are investigating”, “we are inviting”, and “we are analysing” in relation to the Agyapa Royalties investigation and the Cecilia Dapaah cash scandal. The prosecutions are nowhere to be found. Where are the convictions?

Is it a lack of will or a lack of resources?

The refrains “We do not have resources,” “We do not have enough staff,” and “We do not have independence” are all too familiar.

However:

The office rents luxurious offices and drives large V8s.
Monthly salary payments are made.
There are press conferences.
On TV, people make pretentious speeches.

In actuality, no one in Ghana—not even the OSP—is taking the fight against corruption seriously. Why hold the office hostage rather than resign to protest the charade if the Special Prosecutor feels that there are not enough resources to function?

A Smokescreen for Politics

Politicians founded the OSP, provided funding for it, and chose its leaders. How is it possible for it to actually target the politicians who run its tenure and budget?

It is now evident that:

While the looting goes on in the background, the OSP is being used as a PR tool to placate the public.

Since corrupt officials are aware that the OSP will never bite, they can rest easy.

Ghanaians Are Deserving of Better

We do not require an office that

threatens without taking any action.
gathers evidence that is never used.
works on a single case for years without finding a solution.

We require an anti-corruption organisation that will prosecute criminals.

cure convictions, and recover our money.

If you are unable to, move aside.

To Kissi Agyebeng, the current Special Prosecutor:

Ghanaians have had enough of your statements and suits.
Instead of Twitter posts, we would prefer to see corrupt officials handcuffed.
Step aside if you are aware that the system is biased against you and that you are powerless to change it so that Ghanaians understand that the system, not you, is the issue.

The OSP was not created to act as a helpless legal department that corresponds with those who embezzle our funds. It was established to combat, prosecute, and reclaim our embezzled wealth.

Ghanaians have been let down by the Office of the Special Prosecutor thus far. It has become a slow, bureaucratic, ineffective arm of a system that protects the corrupt.

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