Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on Ghanaians to demand a constitutionally independent public prosecutor to protect the country’s anti-corruption framework.
The CSOs said the recent court ruling, which ordered the takeover of all Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) cases and declared its prosecutions invalid after the Attorney-General’s move to challenge the constitutionality of the OSP’s prosecutorial powers, could reverse gains made in holding public officials accountable and weaken public trust in governance.
They stated that the situation had already enabled political interference and limited the effective prosecution of corruption cases involving those in power.
This was contained in a statement issued by the CSOs, including the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), IMANI Africa, and nine others, last Monday.
Demand
The CSOs urged Ghanaians to insist on removing prosecutorial authority from political control and embedding it firmly in the Constitution.
The groups maintained that an independent prosecutor would ensure impartial handling of corruption cases, especially those involving politically exposed persons.
“It is important that citizens do not shirk their responsibility to hold governments accountable for the use of the taxpayers’ money and the power of the state,” the statement read.
The CSOs traced the demand for an independent prosecutor to over two decades of public advocacy and policy reform efforts.
They explained that Ghanaians had consistently called for separation between political leadership and prosecutorial authority due to a conflict of interest.
“For over two decades, Ghanaians have made it clear that they want an independent public prosecutor, separate from the Attorney-General, to prosecute crimes generally,” the statement said.
Risk
The CSOs added that the country risked returning to a system where governments influenced prosecutions if authorities failed to protect the independence of anti-corruption institutions.
The groups pledged to support legal efforts to defend the OSP and urged sustained public vigilance to ensure transparency and accountability in public life.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com
