Withdraw Bill Against OSP – Mahama Directs Ayariga, Dafeamekpor

President John Dramani Mahama has asked Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor to withdraw the Private Member’s Bill seeking to repeal the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act.

The directive follows the President’s recent public defence of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as an essential pillar in Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture.

Speaking during a meeting with the National Peace Council, President Mahama described attempts to scrap the OSP as “premature,” arguing that the institution requires strengthening—not abolition.

“I think it is premature to call for the scrapping of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. We should give them time, and I urge the office to speed up with its work,” he stated, urging the OSP to improve its efficiency and fast-track investigations to enhance public confidence.

The controversial repeal proposal, tabled in Parliament on December 8, 2025, by Mr. Ayariga and Mr. Dafeamekpor, sought to return full prosecutorial authority over corruption cases to the Attorney-General. The sponsors argued that over the past eight years, the OSP has faced constitutional and structural problems, duplication of functions, institutional friction, and high operational costs.

However, critics—including the President—say dismantling the OSP at this stage would weaken Ghana’s fight against corruption and undermine ongoing efforts to promote accountability and good governance.

Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu confirmed the President’s instruction, reaffirming government’s commitment to empowering, rather than dismantling, state institutions tasked with combating corruption.