Ghana’s legal system too outdated to fight corruption – Prof. Kwasi Prempeh

The Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has criticized Ghana’s outdated legal framework, arguing that it is insufficient to effectively combat modern-day corruption.

Speaking as a reviewer at the 5th Constitution Day Public Lecture, delivered by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng under the theme “A Few Good Men: Suppressing and Repressing Corruption and State Capture in Aid of Development,” Prof. Prempeh underscored the urgent need for legal reforms to strengthen anti-corruption efforts.

While acknowledging that the current constitution provides some tools for fighting corruption, he pointed out that Ghana’s legal institutions and doctrines are outdated, making it difficult to address corruption’s evolving nature.

“There are some tools in the constitution even as we find it today. The constitution is not perfect, but it does have something in there that can be the basis of a credible fight against corruption,” he stated.

However, he stressed the need for legal innovation, citing the inadequacy of decades-old laws in tackling corruption today.

“I think our legal institutions, including our legal doctrines, are way too archaic for the time. We must embrace a lot of legal innovation because corruption mutates day by day. In developed countries, the laws are changing from time to time to tackle corruption, and we are relying on 1962 laws to fight. It is not fit for purpose,” he added.

Prof. Prempeh’s remarks highlight the pressing need for legislative updates to ensure that Ghana’s legal framework keeps pace with the evolving nature of corruption and governance challenges.