The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation of Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor following their attempt to repeal the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The opposition caucus described the move as reckless, unauthorised, and fundamentally inconsistent with President John Dramani Mahama’s publicly stated commitment to strengthening Ghana’s anti-corruption framework.
‘Gross Insubordination or Incompetence’
In a statement dated December 12, the Minority accused the two Majority leaders of acting either in gross incompetence or deliberate insubordination by sponsoring a Private Member’s Bill to repeal the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
“The Minority in Parliament calls for the immediate resignation of the Honourable Majority Leader and the Honourable Majority Chief Whip following their failed attempt to abolish the Office of the Special Prosecutor in direct contradiction to President John Dramani Mahama’s stated policy,” the statement said.
The demand comes days after President Mahama formally requested the withdrawal of the bill, which sought to transfer all anti-corruption prosecutorial powers back to the Attorney-General’s Department.
Suspicious Timing Raises Concerns
The Minority also raised concerns about the timing of the bill, noting that it followed closely after the arrest of private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, a vocal critic of the OSP whom the caucus considers politically aligned with the governing party.
“Is this a coordinated, multi-pronged assault on an independent anti-corruption institution by operatives angered by one politically inconvenient arrest?” the statement queried.
OSP Record Compared to Previous Government
Drawing comparisons with the New Patriotic Party’s tenure in office, the Minority argued that despite arrests and investigations involving its own members, the previous government never sought to dismantle the OSP.
According to the caucus, President Mahama’s public repudiation of the repeal bill and his subsequent directive for its withdrawal underscore that the initiative was ill-conceived, policy-incoherent, and damaging to Ghana’s anti-corruption credibility.
President Reaffirms Support for OSP
Meanwhile, President Mahama, through a statement signed by his spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has reaffirmed that the Office of the Special Prosecutor remains a critical pillar in Ghana’s fight against corruption.
The President urged the OSP to intensify investigations, act boldly within its mandate, and work to rebuild public confidence in the institution.
