OSP lists achievements since Kissi Agyebeng took office in 2021

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has listed all the acts of corruption it has stopped since Kissi Agyebeng took office as Special Prosecutor in 2021.

Kissi Agyebeng, an appointee of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has come under intense criticism mostly by members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) after he accused judges and the judiciary of hampering his outfit's fight against corruption.

The 3rd National Vice Chairman of the NPP recently accused Agyebeng of being a corrupt member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), whose sole aim is to ruin President Akufo-Addo’s fight against corruption to get the NPP out of office.

The OSP, even though it might be coincidental, has taken to social media to list all of its achievements since Kissi Agyebeng took office in 2021.

Some of the achievements listed include the disruption of a counterfeit foreign currency manufacturing network, the prevention of the disbursement of over GH¢5 million and the suspension of the TOR-Torentco deal.

Others include the closure of pathways for corrupt practice and tax avoidance, the youth in anti-corruption campaign and direct recoveries to the turn of over GH¢1 million.

See details of the success outlined by the OSP below:

Disruption of Counterfeit Foreign Currency Manufacturing Network

OSP has disrupted a syndicate involved in the production of substantial amount of counterfeited foreign currency. Seizures were made in two warehouses located in Accra and Tema, where a substantial amount of counterfeited forty million dollars ($40,000,000.00) was discovered concealed in steel trunks.

Prevented the disbursement of over five million cedis in an inflated contract payment

During the OSP's inquiry into a contract granted for poverty alleviation in regions up north to a private contractor, the Office's prompt action prevented the nation from disbursing over five million cedis (GHS 5,000,000.00) beyond the contracted amount. The Special Prosecutor halted the Controller and Accountant General from making the payment until the investigations were completed. Presently, all individuals implicated are undergoing trial in a law court in Tamale.

Suspension of TOR-Torentco Deal

The OSP has caused the suspension of the $22 million lease agreement between TOR and Tema Energy and Processing Limited for corruption risk investigations. The risk assessment focuses on the potential danger posed to the assets of TOR by the apparent decision of the Management to allow Torrentco/TEPL to obtain access to critical infrastructure of the state-owned company before, as the Board of Directors have readily acknowledged, due diligence on the transaction was complete. If this decision was by any means induced or influenced by corruption or corruption-related activity, and it is established that such inducement led to an unqualified company to access or operate the assets in question, more than $450 million of national assets could have been endangered.

Closed pathways for corrupt practices and tax avoidance

After OSP's inquiry into the misuse of Customs Advance rulings and benchmark values, Parliament eliminated the provisions that permitted the discretionary use of such practices. This action has effectively closed a significant loophole that previously enabled the circumvention and underpayment of duties and taxes on imported goods, thereby safeguarding the nation from potential revenue losses amounting to millions of cedis. This move directly prevents unscrupulous officers from colluding with importers to manipulate taxes and secure personal gains at the expense of the country's revenue.

Truth in Anti-Corruption Campaign

Direct recovery



BAI/NOQ

You can also watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below:

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.