Kofi Bentil, Senior Vice President and Policy Analyst at IMANI Africa, has called for enhanced security measures for Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng and his staff to enable them combat corruption without fear.
His call follows a speech by Agyebeng at the Constitution Day Lecture in Accra, where he expressed concerns over security threats faced by himself and his team, revealing the personal risks associated with his role.
“My security risk is ultra-high. And I have to perpetually be on the lookout for attacks on my person. The same applies especially to the operational officers of the OSP,” he said.
“The job is thankless. It fetches you droves of enemies daily. It brings you into frontal contact with the lowest forms of debasement in humans. You do not go asking for it. It finds you. That is the nature of the job.”
Speaking during a panel discussion on News File on Joy FM, Bentil emphasized the need for greater support and protection for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), given the dangers that come with its mandate.
“We all want change, but nobody wants to change. We should take care of them [the OSP],” he urged.
He also highlighted the need for a comprehensive Corrupt Practices Act to clearly define and address corruption-related offences. According to Bentil, Ghana’s laws must be more stringent to effectively tackle corruption and prescribe appropriate punishments.
Although the OSP faces significant challenges, Bentil described Agyebeng “a resilient individual who is well-suited for the job.”
He further advocated for greater independence for the OSP, suggesting that it should handle all prosecutions instead of the Attorney General’s Department to minimize political interference.
“I am pushing hard for all prosecutions to go to that office instead of the Attorney General’s, which is political. They end up appointing non-prosecutors,” he said.
“If all the prosecutions we have seen handled by non-prosecutors were under the Special Prosecutor’s office, a change of government would not affect much. That office is useful. We may even need to expand it.”
Dr. Thomas Anaba, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Garu and a former Medical Director at Ridge Hospital, criticized what he described as a lack of genuine commitment by the country’s leadership to fight corruption.
“The leadership of the country sets up anti-corruption agencies as a smokescreen. That is how I see it. So that behind it, they are doing what they want.”
“You occupy an office, and in the end, you either agree with them, or they deal with you,” he lamented.
Dr. Anaba noted that Ghana loses billions of dollars to corruption annually, yet the OSP operates with limited resources, making it difficult to confront well-connected individuals engaging in corrupt practices.
Echoing similar sentiments, Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Walewale, acknowledged the structural limitations of the OSP within Ghana’s democratic framework.
“Unfortunately for the OSP, we are practising a very democratic regime, where the rights of individuals, even those with criminal intent, must be fully litigated,” he said.
“So, when he comes off as someone facing that kind of opposition, I understand why he should be concerned.”
Dr. Mahama added that any threat to the Special Prosecutor’s life was a threat to Ghana’s stability and political development, urging collective support for the OSP’s mission.
The panellists concluded on the need for stronger legislation, increased security for the Special Prosecutor, and sustained public commitment to combating corruption in Ghana.
— GNA
