Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Baidoo, has called for greater collaboration between the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Attorney-General, warning that the apparent lack of cohesion between the two institutions could undermine Ghana’s fight against corruption.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 29, during a discussion on the OSP’s decision to name five persons of interest in an alleged $1 million bribery case linked to the Accelerated Social Housing and Affordable Housing Project (ASKA), Mr Baidoo said concerns raised about the structure and constitutional foundation of the OSP were now becoming evident.
“You see, it is appearing as though those who had issues with the formation of the OSP, especially in the light of our constitutional architecture, and thought that we would surely end up with these problems, are getting vindicated, unfortunately,” he said.
He described the situation as worrying, particularly because disputes between key institutions responsible for fighting corruption could affect efforts to hold people accountable.
“Unfortunately, because some of these things are not too healthy. It’s not,” he added.
The Akwatia MP said the OSP and the Attorney-General should focus on working together rather than engaging in institutional disputes.
He said that the ultimate objective should be to deliver results for Ghanaians.
“So you see, I think it is collaboration. I mean, what are you fighting over? The people of Ghana need results,” Mr Baidoo said.
He said that the Attorney-General should not be viewed as an opponent by the Special Prosecutor.
“Look, the Attorney-General, or whatever officer you may have, is not your enemy. Corruption is your enemy,” he said.
Mr Baidoo said the OSP had received broad political and public support since its establishment, making it important for the institution to deliver on the expectations placed on it.
He said that the creation of the office had enjoyed bipartisan support, although the current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, was not the first person to occupy the position.
“The Special Prosecutor should understand that there is enormous, you see, look at how bipartisan, and even the whole of this country, we came together and ensured that the offices, of course, he wasn’t the one initially. But eventually, we all have trust in that office,” he said.
According to him, the public’s priority is not institutional rivalry but tangible progress in the fight against corruption.
“But we want to see results. And that is what matters to us,” he said.
Mr Baidoo also appealed to the Attorney-General, as the principal legal authority, to work towards resolving any differences with the OSP.
He said public disagreements and separate pronouncements from state institutions risk creating the impression that the country’s anti-corruption agencies are not working towards a common objective.
“We pray that the Attorney General, also being the principal, would also see reason,” he said.
He was particularly concerned about situations where one institution issues a press release or holds a press conference while another appears to take a different position on the same matter.
“So that, you see, at the end of the day, all these things, there is a press conference, there is a release from someone saying that it should be this, it should be that,” he said.
Mr Baidoo said the apparent differences risk undermining public confidence in the institutions tasked with fighting corruption.
“It appears there is no cohesion. There is no collaboration. It appears there are, everybody is doing what he likes,” he said.
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