We didn’t approve bulletproof vehicles for poor results – Dafeamekpor jabs OSP

Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has openly questioned the effectiveness of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), arguing that the state is not receiving value for money despite the substantial resources allocated to the office.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, Mr. Dafeamekpor said the OSP receives an average of about ¢250 million annually, yet continues to report relatively modest prosecutorial outcomes.

According to him, the frequent updates from the Special Prosecutor, which often cite ongoing investigations and a limited number of active prosecutions, fall short of the expectations of Parliament and the Ghanaian public.

“I believe we are not getting value for money,” he stated, stressing that the scale of output does not correspond with the level of financial and logistical support approved for the office.

However, the Majority Chief Whip was quick to clarify that his concerns are not directed at the broader fight against corruption or the establishment of the OSP itself. He noted that he played a key role in the passage of the legislation that created the office.

“This is not about undermining the fight against corruption,” he said. “The concern is about performance, particularly that of the office holder.”

Mr. Dafeamekpor recalled that Parliament has consistently approved requests from the OSP aimed at strengthening its operations. These include plans to decentralise the office by opening regional branches and recruiting hundreds of additional staff to expand its reach.

“He came to Parliament with plans to open regional offices, and we supported him,” he said. “He also requested approval to recruit about 250 or more staff to enable operations across the regions, and Parliament approved that.”

Despite these approvals, he expressed concern that many of the proposed expansions have yet to materialise.

The South Dayi MP also raised questions about the procurement of bulletproof vehicles for the OSP and its senior officials, stressing that such support was granted to enhance efficiency and safety, not to justify limited results.

“We agreed to the provision of bulletproof vehicles because of the sensitive nature of your work,” he said. “But we didn’t provide those vehicles for people to sit comfortably without delivering results.”

According to him, the expectation was that the enhanced security and funding would translate into stronger prosecutorial outcomes.

His comments come amid growing public discourse about the effectiveness of Ghana’s anti-corruption institutions and whether they are delivering outcomes commensurate with the resources invested in them.

The OSP was established as a specialised body mandated to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences involving public officials and politically exposed persons.

Despite his criticisms, Mr. Dafeamekpor indicated that Parliament is not yet prepared to take drastic action against the office. He said lawmakers are willing to allow more time for improvement.

Referring to the OSP’s recent mid-year report, he noted that there are signs of progress, particularly in how the office now presents its results.

“This time, the report points to specific outcomes rather than broad claims,” he said, citing clearer details on asset recovery and financial savings.

While maintaining that the OSP must significantly improve its performance, the Majority Chief Whip said Parliament would continue to monitor developments for now.

“We believe they can do more, and we are hoping to see that improvement,” he added.