<<Print>>

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured of the passage of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) bill when Parliament reconvenes in October.

He said the appointment of the Special Prosecutor will enhance accountability in public life.

Addressing a conference organized by Global Christian Lawyers Thursday, the President said corruption can no longer be defeated by mere words but rather a concrete action.

“The Office of Special Prosecutor which will be enacted in the next session of Parliament will work independently of the executive and will have the responsibility to investigate and prosecute acts of corruption,” President Akufo-Addo said.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor bill was withdrawn last month by the Majority after the Minority raised issues of a procedural defect.

The opposition lawmakers said the bill was not properly laid as stated in Parliament’s Standing Orders.

A bill that comes to Parliament is required to be gazetted at least 14 days before it is laid. It is only when a bill comes under a certificate of urgency that the 14-day period is waived but the bill did not meet both criteria.

Sections of Ghanaians accused the Minority of sabotaging the bill because of fear of being prosecuted.

But a member of the Minority on Parliament’s Legal Committee, Rockson Dafiamekpor told Evans Mensah on Joy FM's Newsnite they will support any initiative to address corruption.

“We have always been ready to back policies to fight corruption in the private and public sector,” he said, adding their opposition to the bill has to do with the procedure.

The lawmaker said members of the Constitutional Committee have met to draw up a strategy to scrutinize the bill before Parliament resumes in October.

Mr Dafiamekpor said they will help to push through the bill in Parliament if the right thing is done by government and the Majority.