Accra: A seven-member panel of Ghana's Supreme Court has granted an application by 14 civil society organisations (CSOs) seeking to join an ongoing case challenging the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). The development was disclosed in a post shared on X on May 19, 2026. The panel, presided over by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, granted the application in the Adamtey v Attorney-General suit after counsel Kizito Beyuo argued the CSOs have expertise and institutional knowledge that can help the court decide the matter.
According to Ghana Web, the organisations involved are independent bodies with longstanding interests in governance, accountability, and anti-corruption, making their participation necessary in a case with far-reaching implications for Ghana's anti-corruption architecture. The application was filed in the case of private citizen Noah Adamtey against the Attorney-General, which is contesting the legality of the law establishing the OSP.
The coalition, which includes IMANI Africa, CDD-Ghana, Transparency International Ghana, The Democracy Hub, STAR-Ghana Foundation, Africa Centre for Energy Policy, Penplusbytes, and Africa Education Watch, had applied to join the suit, arguing that the matter raises significant constitutional and public interest concerns regarding Ghana's anti-corruption framework.
In a joint statement issued on May 6, 2026, the organisations said their intervention is intended to support constitutional interpretation and institutional accountability rather than advance partisan interests. According to the coalition, their involvement is driven by a commitment to constitutionalism, accountable governance, the protection of independent anti-corruption institutions, and civil society participation in constitutional adjudication.
The groups also cited their institutional memory and contributions to the drafting and advocacy leading to the passage of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959). 'It is motivated solely by a shared commitment to constitutionalism, accountable governance, anti-corruption, institutional integrity, and the preservation of independent public institutions,' portions of the statement said.
The OSP was created under the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences, especially involving public officials and politically exposed persons. Since its creation, the OSP has become one of Ghana's most prominent anti-corruption agencies and has handled several high-profile cases.
The court's decision is expected to broaden the legal and public interest scope of the proceedings, given the role many CSOs play in pushing for stronger anti-corruption reforms and accountability.