Yesterday, Ghana had its second Special Prosecutor sworn in by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House, the seat of Government.
Mr Kissi Agyebeng, a private legal practitioner, who was vetted on Thursday, July 22, 2021, by Parliament’s Appointments Committee, succeeds Mr Martin Alamisi Burnes Kaiser Amidu, who resigned on November 16, last year, after taking office on January 3, 2018, in spite of his seven-year term, citing various reasons.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor was established with the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) and came into existence on January 3, 2018.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor is a corporate legal body with perpetual succession and powers to sue, be sued and acquire property.
The Special Prosecutor is responsible for the day-to-day administration and functions of his Office which is enjoined to prevent, investigate, and prosecute corruption and corruption-related offences, and recover and manage assets related thereto.
He carries out the extraordinary responsibility of independently fighting corruption and has full authority to initiate investigations into all suspected corruption-related offences of all persons in public service if approved by Parliament.
He is also mandated to investigate and prosecute all suspected corruption and corruption-related offences as pertaining to public officers, politically exposed persons, and persons in the private sector alleged to have been involved in any corruption and corruption-related offences.
In other words, the Special Prosecutor is mandated to protect public property and financial resources and retrieve those in wrong hands or quarters.
While President Akufo-Addo has expressed trust and confidence in Mr Agyebeng that he has what it takes to execute his mandate, the new young Special Prosecutor has, in response, assured the President and all other Ghanaians that he would work assiduously to suppress corruption, even if he cannot completely uproot it.
The Ghanaian Times welcomes Mr Agyebeng to his new role and wishes him well in all his moves to fight corruption because that crime has been suffocating development in our dear country.
For instance, on July 4, 2018, it was reported that Ghana was losing more than $3 billion every year through corruption, an amount more than the $3 billion Chinese loan the country sought in 2011.
The amount was said to be about 300 per cent of all the aid Ghana received from 2012 to 2014, according to a study by IMANI which looked at procurement losses over the three-year period and compared it to the aid received by the country.
Mr Agyebeng, only the corruption in procurement gives you this figure in three years. Think about it. Your effort can save Ghana some borrowing and help fast-track its development.
You have a daunting task but we pray the good Lord to give you the strength, courage and that fearless boldness to be objective so that you would not be selective and partial in your work.
Tell all those around to inculcate it now and forever that you would not countenance interference of any shape or form, so you could be referenced worldwide as a monument in the fight against corruption.
And remember not to brush aside the claims your predecessor alleged to support his resignation but ascertain their veracity so that if, indeed, he had a case, you can be guided.
Your success would greatly be shared by young Ghanaians as you would have changed some negative perceptions about their competence and integrity.
Welcome once again, Mr Agyebeng. Be on your mettle!!!
