Accra: The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has announced a significant financial reprieve for Ghana, amounting to GHS5.7 billion, stemming from the cancellation of the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract and the seizure of assets in various corruption-related cases. This revelation was made in a detailed half-year report for the second half of 2025, which commended President Mahama for acting on the OSP's findings by terminating the SML contract.
According to Ghana Web, the report highlighted that the cancellation of the SML contract prevented the nation from incurring 'false claims' that could have totaled over GHS5.7 billion. The investigation identified that former Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta and former Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) commissioners were implicated in attempts to defraud the nation of US$2.8 billion through the ill-conceived contract, which was ostensibly aimed at revenue assurance in the petroleum and minerals sectors.
The second half of 2025 was a challenging period for the OSP, marked by political resistance that included a petition and a private member bill in parliament seeking to abolish the OSP and merge its functions with the Attorney General's Department. Despite these challenges, the OSP continued its mandate, uncovering that the SML contract was based on false claims of possessing sophisticated audit technology and was fraught with statutory breaches.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng stated in the report that there was no genuine need for the contract. The OSP's investigations concluded with plans for a trial set to begin on February 26, 2026. Meanwhile, former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who has been declared a fugitive and is currently detained by ICE in the US, awaits trial and potential extradition.
The report also detailed the elusive tactics employed by Ofori-Atta, including requests for medical travel and a last-minute cancer diagnosis, which delayed proceedings. Additionally, a private member's bill aimed at dissolving the OSP was introduced in parliament, arguing that the Office was a financial drain.
Despite these challenges, the OSP reported saving the state twenty times the total funds allocated to it since its inception. It has seized over GHS100 million in assets linked to former NPA CEO Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and others, including luxury properties and prime land.
Furthermore, a joint OSP-Controller and Accountant General's Department operation successfully blocked GHS2.85 million of unearned salaries from 'ghost names' on the government payroll in the Northern Region. The OSP also flagged a disinfection deal with LCB Worldwide as a significant corruption risk, preventing potential losses of GHS345 million.
Special Prosecutor Agyebeng emphasized the need for the OSP to be entrenched in the constitution as an independent anti-corruption commission to enhance its effectiveness in combating corruption.