Accra: The Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has criticised the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), accusing the anti-corruption body of limiting its operations to Accra while corruption continues to spread across the country. According to the South Dayi MP, the OSP cannot effectively fight corruption if it remains heavily concentrated in Accra and Tema.
According to Ghana Web, Dafeamekpor argued on JoyNews' PM Express that the anti-graft agency must urgently expand into the regions and districts to make a real impact. He emphasized the necessity of establishing regional offices under the OSP Act and moving beyond Accra to fight crime effectively. Dafeamekpor pointed out that crime is not confined to Metropolitan Accra or Tema and that corruption and financial misconduct are widespread across district assemblies and public institutions nationwide.
The lawmaker highlighted findings in Auditor-General reports that consistently expose pilfering and abuse of public funds at the local level. He insisted that establishing district and regional OSP offices would compel public officials to act more responsibly. Dafeamekpor urged the OSP to have district and regional offices to coordinate efforts across various districts, suggesting that the presence of an OSP officer in each district would lead to more responsible actions by assemblies and statutory agencies.
Despite previous criticism of the OSP, Dafeamekpor acknowledged comments by President John Dramani Mahama, who also recognized areas for improvement within the OSP. The MP maintained that while patience is necessary, it does not justify the OSP's current limitations in expanding operations nationwide. He questioned the rationale behind the significant funding given to the OSP, given what he described as low output and a lack of nationwide expansion.