OSP Cases Fuel Distrust Says Mary Addah
Public trust in Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts has significantly declined, particularly concerning the handling of high-profile cases by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), according to Transparency International–Ghana’s Executive Director, Mary Addah.
Ms. Addah stated that the lack of progress in cases like that of former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah and the ongoing investigations involving the former Finance Minister have deepened existing skepticism among citizens who had hoped the OSP would usher in a new era of accountability.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on December 8, she emphasized that the challenges facing the OSP are multifaceted. “So it is both. It is both,” she responded to a question about whether the issues stem from the individuals appointed to the office or inherent structural problems.
She drew a parallel to the establishment of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission, noting the deliberate timeframe allowed for its proper setup. “Let me use the RTI example, for instance, to give you what we are talking about in the passage of the RTI law and the setting up of the commission. When the law was passed, we realised that there was a one‑year cooling‑off period to ensure that the office was set up and set up very well.”
In contrast, Ms. Addah explained that the Special Prosecutor was appointed shortly after the law’s passage, in February, without adequate infrastructure or personnel. “In the case of the SP, when the law was passed, by February, the SP was appointed. He didn’t have space to even operate, and so the first SP had his issues of setting up office, which office he wanted and who he was going to work with.
“He didn’t have staff. And for about three years, we went up and down. So structurally, we had a flaw, a serious flaw there.”
Ms. Addah also highlighted concerns about the OSP’s independence. “The issues around independence, either being substantive or otherwise, also remain a key problem, because we saw that in the execution of the mandate, we continue to see interference, and it led to the first SP leaving office and the second one taking office.”
She noted that public confidence was already low, and the OSP’s initial struggles exacerbated the situation. “Remember that the appetite of citizens, as well, and at the time, in the fight against corruption, was very low. Because the trust levels were very low, we thought that the politician would do what they would do to get away with what they would do anyway. And so, citizens’ trust had dwindled.”
The Cecilia Dapaah case and the current investigation into the former Finance Minister, she added, have further eroded trust. “And this has been entrenched by some of the cases that have come through the office. For instance, in the issue of Cecilia Dapaah, we saw that this case didn’t go anywhere. And then now we also have the issue of the former Minister of Finance, who is also treading almost the same path and the trust of citizens, that’s why the voices are that loud.”
Despite these challenges, Ms. Addah acknowledged that new institutions require time to establish themselves. “But it remains also true that in setting up an office, we should give them time to be able to settle in, to put in place structures.”
When PM Express host Evans Mensah questioned whether eight years was sufficient, Ms. Addah responded that it depends on the resources and support provided to the office. “Yes, it depends on what we have given them and how they are doing it,” she stated.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
