Special Prosecutor is a needless office but I endorse Martin Amidu – Bagbin

Second deputy speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin has reiterated his belief that the Office of the Special Prosecutor is not needed in the fight against corruption in the country.

The long-serving legislator opined that the country instead ought to focus on adequately resourcing the existing institutions to perform that task.

The Nadowli-Kaleo MP said per his understanding of the constitution, the President has the power to appoint an Attorney General and Minister of Justice independent of each other.

“I from the onset did not see the need for such an office because I believe strongly that if the Attorney General was properly supported, they could have done the same thing. My understanding of the constitutional provision is that it doesn’t also debar the president from appointing a Minister of Justice and also appointing an Attorney General. That is my understanding of the constitution” he remarked.

Alban Bagbin was quick to add that though he doesn’t see the need for the setting up of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, he endorses the nominee put forth by the President.

He admitted that Martin Amidu was competent for the job and possess the necessary skill and abilities required for such a position.

Contributing to debate on the floor of the House on the motion moved by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu, for the acceptance of the committee’s report the long-serving MP confessed “Mr. Chairman, be as it may, we have a good candidate to lead that office to try to anchor the other government agencies to assist all of us to fight the cancer corruption”.

Parliament on Tuesday February 20th 2018 approved the nomination of Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu’s as Special Prosecutor.



The Committee’s report recommends among other things that “given Mr. Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser’s high standard of competence, forthrightness in answering questions, independent mindedness, selflessness, solid principles and an in-depth appreciation of the task ahead backed by his onerous experience, knowledge of the law and his promise to be above political colourisation, the Nominee qualifies to serve as the Special Prosecutor”.

Mr. Amidu was vetted by Parliament’s Appointments Committee last Tuesday, February 13 in a sitting which lasted more than 7hours.