Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah doubts OSP repeal has no presidential support

Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah (Esq), expressed his concerns over the recent push to scrap the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

His remarks come in the wake of a controversial Private Members’ Bill introduced by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, seeking the complete repeal of the OSP Act of 2017.

“I doubt this move to scrap the OSP is without the support of the President [Mahama] and the Attorney General,” Awuah said during the interview on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV. His statement adds fuel to the growing controversy surrounding the proposed repeal.

According to the MP, the decisions made by Mahama Ayariga and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor were driven by personal, parochial considerations.

The bill, titled the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Repeal) Bill, 2025, was submitted on December 8, 2025 and proposes to return full prosecutorial authority over corruption cases to the Attorney-General’s office.

The bill’s sponsors argue that the OSP has faced numerous challenges during its eight years of operation, citing “structural and constitutional deficiencies” that have hindered its effectiveness.

One of the primary arguments for the repeal is the claim that the OSP’s role overlaps with that of the Attorney General, leading to friction, duplication of efforts, and delays in prosecuting criminal cases.

The sponsors believe that the OSP’s existence has led to unnecessary confusion in the judicial process and that consolidating prosecutorial power in the hands of the Attorney-General will streamline the handling of corruption cases.

However, the proposed move has raised alarms among some lawmakers and anti-corruption advocates, who argue that abolishing the OSP could diminish the independence and focus required for effective anti-corruption work.

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah’s comments echo these concerns, with the MP questioning whether the President and the Attorney-General are behind the push to weaken the OSP’s mandate.

The OSP was established under the administration of former President Akufo-Addo with the aim of strengthening the country’s fight against corruption, a move that was widely supported by anti-corruption campaigners.

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, to withdraw the Private Members’ Bill seeking to repeal the OSP Act.

The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, on December 11, 2025.

“President John Dramani Mahama has requested the Majority Leader and Majority Chief Whip in Parliament to withdraw the Private Member's Bill tabled for the repeal of the Act establishing The Office of Special Prosecutor,” it noted.

According to the statement, President Mahama made the request following his public endorsement of the OSP as a ‘vital cog in the fight against corruption’ during a meeting with the Peace Council on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

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