By Dennis Peprah
Fiapre, (Bono), Oct. 30, GNA – The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has recovered GHC4 million proceeds of corruption, saving GHC135 million to the national purse since its establishment, Madam Cynthia Anima Boadu, Bono Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has said.
She said through the OSP, transactions amounting to GHC970 million had been suspended, with 25 persons standing trials for corruption-related offences and seven convictions secured, saying the Office had also sensitized about 22 million nationwide on its activities.
The Regional Director was speaking at a stakeholder’s session at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality aimed at sensitising and deepening the understanding of the public about OSP Law (Act 959), its mandate, and operational framework.
It was organised by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), European Union (EU) and the Swiss government.
The day’s sensitisation was attended by Assembly Members, chiefs and queens, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and civil society actors and organisations.
Madam Boadu who took the participants through the history of the establishment and mandate of the OSP, indicated that OSP was making impacts in the nation’s fight against corruption, however it was imperative for citizens to support by providing the Office with information about suspected corruption-related cases.
She said the fight against corruption which remained a bane of accelerated national development required collective approach, and urged Ghanaians to leverage the Whistleblower Act, be bold and report suspected incidents of corruption to the OSP.
The OSP is a specialised independent anti-corruption agency established in 2018 by an act of the Parliament to investigate and prosecute acts of corruption and corruption related offences.
As the premier enforcer of the nation’s anti-corruption laws, and the only state agency empowered to carry out criminal prosecution of corruption and corruption related offences, the OSP is responsible for recovering proceeds of corruption and taking steps to prevent it.
Mad Boadu emphasised that fighting the canker also required attitudinal change and expressed the hope everybody would contribute towards stemming corruption and to safeguard the national purse.
Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, the Executive Secretary of the GACC later told the media that the sensitization was part of the implementation of the project “Strengthening the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption.”
She said besides citizens’ active participation and support, strong political will and commitments were also required from successive governments, if the nation could succeed in its fight against corruption.
“I think citizens have to also commit themselves more to the fight against corruption,” she stated worrying that the nation was not doing well, stagnating in the fight against the canker and stressed the GACC dedication to help enhance citizens’ understanding about the activities of the OSP.
Mrs Narteh said if the citizenry understood the mandates and activities of the OSP, they would be well positioned to support the office’s efforts in fighting corruption.
In an open forum, many of the participants commended the OSP, urging the office to do more and to be expeditious in the prosecution of corruption-related offences.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Linda Asante Agyei