No funds to fight Corruption, Martin Amidu Successor cries out
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has reiterated the need for the government to resource his office to enable him to deliver effectively as required by law.
According to him, there should be hope that Ghana is taking concrete steps to fight corruption.
Mr. Agyebeng while addressing a gathering at an event to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day Thursday in Accra disclosed that though he has taken steps to operationalize his office, there is the need for the government to provide the needed resources.
“Upon my assumption of office on 5 August 2021 as the second Special Prosecutor of the Republic, I noticed that the OSP had not been operationalized and it was without its own staff and necessary resources. The fight against corruption had, in effect, been thrown in reverse for three (3) years,” he disclosed.
He continued that “I look forward to the provision of adequate funding and the necessary material resources as stipulated in Articles 6 and 36 of the Convention to carry out this most challenging and solemn mandate. I cannot help but state that without adequate funding and the provision of the necessary material resources, the good intentions of my staff and I would remain just good intentions with nothing concrete to show for it.”
Mr. Agyebeng also assured Ghanaians that he is not sleeping on his duties as Special Prosecutor as he has been engaging relevant institutions in that respect.
“Some of the institutions I have been engaging include the law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies including the Attorney General’s, National Security Secretariat, Ghana Police Service, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Economic and Organized Crime Office, and the Financial Intelligence Centre.
“The OSP would vigorously investigate and prosecute cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences and recover proceeds of such offences through property tracing of tainted property and currency in line with our vision of rendering corruption a costly enterprise.”
“As the institution specifically tasked with taking steps to prevent corruption, I resolve that in the coming year the OSP will institute and strengthen measures to prevent, suppress and repress corruption more efficiently and effectively than has ever been done in this Republic,” the Special Prosecutor said.
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