Inusah Fuseini, Raymond Atuguba's debate on Special Prosecutor Bill was needless

The fight between Hon. Inusah Fuseini and lawyer Raymond Atuguba over the Special prosecutor bill is unnecessary, whether is it constitutional or unconstitutional, the government of Ghana under the leadership of H.E Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo will do well to prosecute any individual who in one way or the other misused, negligence or misappropriation of fund which caused Ghana to lose money.

Yes, the Attorney general department under the powers of attorney reserve the right to prosecute criminals or corrupt officials on behalf of the government under the constitution. The individual clauses of the Bill dealing with the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor; the objects of the Office; functions of the Office; independence of the Office; the governing body of the Office and related matters; nomination and appointment of the Special Prosecutor; the functions of the Special Prosecutor; the removal of the Special Prosecutor; the nomination and appointment of the Deputy Special Prosecutor; the removal of the Deputy Special Prosecutor; the appointment of staff; and the interpretation clauses of the Bill are were properly examined, analyzed and discussed.

A discussion on general observations dealing with and including useful provisions in the Economic and Organised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804) that may be included in the Bill as part of the examination and critique of the Bill were also made to complete the main examination and analysis of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2017. So, to say that the government did not examined the Bill well will amount to near speculation and does not ground on facts.

Don't forget that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, came to power on the message and promise of fighting corruption which had become endemic during his predecessor’s Government. He was one of the Presidential candidates who promised to set up an independent and separate office from the Attorney General as the vehicle to investigate and prosecute crimes of corruption when elected into office.

His preferred vehicle and conduit was to set up an office of an independent Special Public Prosecutor for the purpose, but that does not take away the powers of the attorney general as speculated by Reymond Atuguba.

By: Issah Fuseini Effiakuma