By Leo Nelson
Renowned legal scholar and fellow at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, has warned that delays and uncertainty surrounding the operations of the Office of the Special Prosecutor could weaken Ghana’s anti-corruption fight and embolden corrupt actors.
In a strongly worded commentary, Professor Asare argued that the country risks undoing decades of institutional progress if the current legal uncertainty surrounding the Office of the Special Prosecutor, popularly known as the OSP, is allowed to continue unchecked.
“It has taken us decades to build an anti-corruption institution, but it now appears that a single misguided ruling has brought it to a standstill.”
According to him, the development should concern every citizen who values accountability and the rule of law. He maintained that corruption thrives in environments where justice is delayed and institutions become uncertain in exercising their mandate.
“That should trouble anyone who takes accountability seriously. For those who do not, however, this is fertile ground. Delay and uncertainty are precisely where corruption survives.”