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Former Auditor General Daniel Yao Domelevo has issued a strong caution to government officials, urging them to refrain from interfering with the work of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and instead offer their full support to ensure the office can effectively combat corruption.
In his speech at the 2024 edition of the Domelevo Accountability Lectures, Domelevo reflected on his initial reservations about the OSP but underscored the necessity of backing the institution now that it exists. He acknowledged working closely with the first Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, despite his personal reservations, to help make the OSP a success.
Domelevo praised the commitment of the current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, but expressed deep concern over the obstacles Agyebeng is facing. He called on President Akufo-Addo and government officials to protect the Special Prosecutor from undue pressures and interference.
“Institutional and legal frameworks are not enough to effectively combat corruption, and that is the state in which we have found ourselves here in Ghana. After establishing the institutions, we must give them the oxygen to breathe,” Domelevo said.
He continued, “Let me be very honest with you. I was in office as Auditor General when the Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill was put together, and I was not enthused at all about it, but the bill was passed, and I said to myself, well, even though in principle I don’t support it, if this is what it would take for us to win the war against corruption, why not? So those of you who followed events, I was working closely with Honorable Martin Amidu. Unfortunately, he was barred out of office, out of pressure, and we are all aware of what happened.”
Domelevo stressed the importance of giving the OSP the necessary support to succeed, stating, “Then comes the young man, Kissi Agyebeng, and the young man is facing troubles and challenges like nobody’s business. So I said, the one who put him there, don’t you know that you have to protect this guy? You should be calling people and saying, shut up, back off, let him do his work.”
He concluded by urging government officials to let the Special Prosecutor carry out his duties unimpeded, noting that Agyebeng appears to be the only person currently serious about the fight against corruption. “So please, government officials and people in government, leave the special prosecutor alone. He seems to be the only person serious about corruption today, from my point of view. So let’s give him the oxygen for him to be able to do his work.”