Anti-OSP bill: ‘I have always had confidence in the wisdom of the President’ – Ayariga

The Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has announced a pause in efforts to push a Private Member’s Bill seeking to repeal the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

This follows a direct intervention from President John Dramani Mahama.

Addressing Parliament on Friday, December 12, 2025, Hon. Ayariga explained that although the bill had successfully passed through the Committee on Private Members’ Bills and was ready to be presented to the House, the President’s position warranted a rethink.

“Mr Speaker, we all know that two heads are better than one. So if His Excellency the President has also thought about it, and I also add mine to his, I believe together we can find a better way of managing the situation,” Mr Ayariga told the House. He added, “So I can assure you that I’ll take on board the request by the President for us to think about our action, and I can assure you that I have always had confidence in the wisdom of the President.”

The Private Member’s Bill, jointly sponsored by Hon. Mahama Ayariga and the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, was laid on December 8, 2025. It sought to repeal the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), and abolish the OSP, with the intention of returning full prosecutorial authority over corruption-related cases to the Attorney-General. The sponsors had cited concerns including constitutional ambiguities, duplication of prosecutorial functions, operational inefficiencies and the high cost of running the OSP.

However, President Mahama subsequently directed the Majority Leader and Majority Chief Whip to withdraw the bill. According to the Presidency, the President stressed that “the Office of the Special Prosecutor remains a vital cog in our national effort to confront corruption head-on.” He further urged the OSP to intensify its work, noting that “the office must continue to take steps that enhance public confidence and deliver effectively on its mandate.”

Confirming the new position of the House, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, who chairs the Committee on Private Members’ Motions, told Parliament that the bill remains active but will be reconsidered in light of the President’s request. “So on the basis of the request made to me by His Excellency the President and my colleague, the Majority Chief Whip, I want to assure you that we will reconsider our decision,” Mr Ahiafor stated.

For now, the Majority Leader’s comments underscore a willingness within the leadership of the House to align with the President’s broader anti-corruption agenda while reassessing the future of the OSP.