The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has highlighted the inadequacy of Ghana’s current legal framework in effectively tackling corruption.
Samuel Appiah Darko, the Director of Strategy, Evaluation, and Communication at the OSP, stressed that the country needs stronger and more comprehensive anti-corruption laws to address the issue more effectively.
Speaking at a forum in Accra on Thursday, November 14, Mr. Appiah Darko called for a revision and strengthening of existing laws to tackle corruption more decisively.
“Ghana has numerous laws, but many of them lack efficiency,” Mr. Appiah Darko remarked. “As someone in the anti-corruption field, I am actually relieved that the Conduct of Public Officers’ Bill has not been passed yet. If it were to be passed in its current form, it would likely end up as just another symbolic gesture.”
He further pointed out that the law, in its present state, remains fragmented. For example, when it comes to the issue of gifts, there is no clear threshold for what is acceptable. “In countries like the UK, there is a limit on the value of gifts a Member of Parliament can accept—say, £300. But here in Ghana, the Conduct of Public Officers’ Bill has no such provision.”
Mr. Appiah Darko’s comments underline the urgent need for more effective and enforceable anti-corruption measures to strengthen the fight against corruption in Ghana.
