Credit: Hamza Sulemana
Tamale, Nov 11, GNA – The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in partnership with RUWA Ghana has held a multi-stakeholder forum on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) Act, 2017 (Act 959) to deepen citizens’ understanding of the law and strengthen collaboration in the fight against corruption.
The forum, held in Tamale on the theme: “Strengthening the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana”, formed part of a nationwide awareness campaign aimed at promoting transparency, integrity, and accountability in governance.
It brought together representatives from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), traditional leaders, civil society groups, youth-led organizations, the media, and persons with disabilities.
It was part of a broader initiative by GACC to educate citizens on the mandate, powers, and operations of the OSP and to encourage active public participation in anti-corruption responses.
Presentations during the forum highlighted the background to the OSP’s creation, its prosecutorial independence, and the legal framework that guided its operations.
Participants also discussed manifestations of corruption, including bribery, embezzlement, favouritism, conflict of interest, and abuse of discretion as outlined in the OSP Act.
Mr Solomon Yankah, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at GACC, speaking during the forum, underscored the OSP’s independence and the need for public education on anti-corruption mechanisms.
He said, “The OSP is not subject to the direction or control of any person or entity, not even the President. The good thing about the office is that the Special Prosecutor has a tenure of office, which provides security and stability around the institution.”
He encouraged participants to take the message beyond the forum saying, “We urge citizens to educate their peers on matters around corruption, the institutions mandated to fight it, and the channels through which they can report corruption.”
Mr Imoro Tahiru, Tamale Metropolitan Director of the NCCE, said the session had provided valuable insights that would enhance the Commission’s ongoing civic education activities.
He said, “This forum adds to our existing civic education programmes. We will integrate the mandate of the Special Prosecutor into our outreach so that citizens understand its work and contribute more effectively to the fight against corruption.”
The nationwide awareness campaign was part of the “Strengthening the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana” project, supported by the Participation, Accountability, and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) programme.
The initiative was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and co-financed by the European Union and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, and implemented by GIZ in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Finance.
Through series of multi-stakeholder fora and media engagements across all 16 regions, the campaign seeks to raise awareness about the OSP Law, promote the passage of the Conduct of Public Officers (COPO) Bill, increase education on the Witness Protection Act, and encourage citizens to resist, reject, and report corruption.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Christian Akorlie