OSP was a ‘political weapon’ from the start – Kwakye Ofosu

Minister of Communications and Member of Parliament for Abura Asebu Kwamankese, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has claimed that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was politically motivated from the very beginning and not established out of a genuine commitment to fighting corruption.

He said the OSP, introduced by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was created mainly to target political opponents under the pretext of an anti-corruption crusade.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana with Moro Awudu, Mr. Ofosu said, “It was obvious that the government simply wanted to tap into the anger of Mr. Martin Amidu against the NDC to deal with political opponents.”

He explained that Mr. Amidu, who was appointed as the first Special Prosecutor, had publicly clashed with the NDC before the 2016 elections over issues he felt were unfair. According to Mr. Ofosu, former President Nana Akufo-Addo saw an opportunity to use Mr. Amidu’s public disagreements with the NDC for political gain.

“In the run-up to the 2016 elections, Mr. Amidu had fought the NDC on several matters he was dissatisfied with. Former President Akufo-Addo, being a skilled political operator, wanted to tap into this to deal with political opponents. So the OSP was not really set up properly,” he said.

Mr. Ofosu’s comments add to the growing national debate over whether the OSP has lived up to its intended purpose or has become a politically compromised institution.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), established by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is an independent anti-corruption agency created by an Act of Parliament. Its mandate includes investigating and prosecuting corruption-related offences and recovering proceeds of crime.

However, according to Mr. Ofosu, the office has failed to deliver on these promises. “It was never about fighting corruption; it was about creating a political weapon,” he noted.