Parliamentary Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor have tabled a Private Members’ Bill aiming to repeal the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), effectively dissolving the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and restoring exclusive anti-corruption prosecutorial powers to the Attorney-General.
Dated December 8, 2025, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Repeal) Bill, 2025, argues in its memorandum that eight years of OSP operations have exposed “deep structural and constitutional challenges” leading to duplicated roles, jurisdictional conflicts, and delays in cases.
The sponsors contend that the dual-prosecutor system fosters inefficiencies, high costs with limited results, policy fragmentation, and capacity gaps from parallel structures. They propose consolidating functions under a specialized anti-corruption division in the Attorney-General’s Office, aligning with Article 88 of the Constitution.
If enacted, the repeal would streamline prosecutions, cut administrative expenses, enhance coordination, and optimize resource use, with transitional integration costs covered by existing budgets.
Clauses 1 to 4 outline the repeal, preservation of prior OSP actions, and smooth handover. The move is expected to spark intense debate on Ghana’s anti-corruption framework.
President John Dramani Mahama countered calls to abolish the OSP as “premature,” urging patience to allow the institution to fulfill its mandate.
