Don’t Be Cocooned in Accra – Dafeamekpor Pushes OSP to Invade Districts

Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has called for a major expansion of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), insisting the anti-corruption body cannot remain concentrated in Accra if it hopes to effectively combat corruption nationwide.

Speaking on PM Express on Tuesday, the South Dayi MP argued that the OSP must establish offices across the country, particularly in districts where corruption and financial mismanagement are rampant.

Responding to concerns about his earlier criticism of the OSP’s performance despite its budgetary allocations, Mr Dafeamekpor maintained that the institution still has the potential to improve.

“I believe in the wisdom of the president,” he said.

He explained that President John Dramani Mahama had appealed for patience with the institution and urged critics to give it time to mature and strengthen its operations.

“But I believe that, as the President said, he himself knows that the OSP could do better,” Mr Dafeamekpor added.

According to him, the real measure of the institution’s effectiveness will depend on whether it expands beyond the national capital.

“We’ve given them a mandate under the OSP Act to establish regional offices. Don’t be cocooned in Accra and seek to fight crime,” he declared.

The lawmaker stressed that corruption is not confined to Accra and Tema, warning that the OSP risks overlooking widespread abuse taking place in district assemblies and state agencies across the country if it remains overly centralised.

“Crime is not only coterminous to the people or the lifestyle in Metropolitan Accra or Tema,” he stated.

Mr Dafeamekpor pointed to findings in Auditor-General reports as evidence that corruption and financial irregularities remain pervasive in local government structures.

“If you check the Auditor General’s report, crime is pervasive in the district within the assembly, especially lots of pilfering and a deliberate decision on the part of public servants to simply ignore the law and do what they will do, and pilfer from the public purse,” he said.

He proposed a decentralised structure where the OSP would establish district-level offices coordinated through regional branches nationwide.

“So, have district offices, also have regional offices to coordinate your offices in the various districts,” he argued.

The MP further stated that the mere presence of OSP officers in districts could discourage corruption and promote greater accountability among public officials.

“If every district knows that there is an OSP officer resident in the district, certain things won’t happen in the assemblies, and some of the statutory agencies operating in the district would do things differently,” he stressed.

Asked whether the OSP still deserves more time to prove itself, Mr Dafeamekpor answered in the affirmative but cautioned that patience must be matched with visible commitment and expansion.

“Yes, but when you are not committed to expanding, then I have a problem with you,” he said.

“Then I will question why we give you so much money, and yet you are delivering so little.”