A Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Alfred Tuah Yeboah, has indicated that the Board for the Office of the Special Prosecutor will soon be constituted.
According to him, the Presidency is awaiting the advice of the Council of State and would announce the members of the Board within the month of February.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has been without a board since Kissi Agyabeng took over as the Special Prosecutor in August 2021.
Many within the anti-graft space have lamented the effect on the functionality of the Office, but Mr. Tuah Yeboah says the wait will soon be over.
“Per our legal architecture, the list has to go to the Council of State and from my understanding, they are almost done with the part of the Council of State so I won’t be surprised if moving into this February the list will be out and we will all get to know who the members are.”
The new board is expected to have representatives from institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), a woman representing the Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organisations, the Commission on Human Rights, and administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and the Financial Intelligence Centre.
There are concerns the absence of the board will stall the recruitment of staff and the set-up of divisions within the office.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has been tasked to investigate and prosecute specific categories of cases and allegations of corruption and other criminal wrongdoing, including those involving alleged violations of the Public Procurement Act, 2003, and cases implicating public officers and politically-exposed persons.
The previous board was chaired by the Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Linda Ofori Kwafo.
Other members of that board were, former CID Boss, DCOP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah; the EOCO rep, Charles Nana Antwi; representatives from civil society, Linda Ofori Kwafo and Addai Wereko Tawiah; Kofi Wiredu Boakye, Charles Ayamadu, and Kwaku Domfeh.