The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of targeting heads of independent state institutions with unfounded petitions.
Speaking during debates on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Gushegu, Hassan Tampuli, alleged that the current petition seeking the removal of the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, was part of a broader pattern of politically motivated targeting.
“About three petitions as of today have been referred to the President for the removal of the Special Prosecutor.
“Mr Speaker, this comes on the heels of the removal of the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana. Next on the agenda is the removal of the EC. Something is happening in this country,” he said.
Responding to his remarks, Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, denied the claims, insisting that citizens have the right to petition and that these actions do not amount to removals.
“Mr Speaker, there’s no way the government is pursuing anybody out of office. There’s no way. That cannot be a statement of fact on this floor. Citizens have the right to petition, and they must have done that. It does not constitute a removal,” he said.
Madina MP, Francis Xavier Sosu, commended the OSP for its work in safeguarding public funds but criticised the decision to invite private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu over allegations aired on television.
“Mr Speaker, let me clarify the point that the fact that the Office of Special Prosecutor is doing the best they can within their mandate does not mean that citizens and individuals who have issues about how the special prosecutor is operating cannot come out to speak against them.
“So I was worried when people like Martin Kpebu, for example, was invited to the special prosecutor because he was on TV raising some allegations.”
NPP MP for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffuor Awuah, argued that the OSP is deviating from its mandate of protecting the public purse.
“When the office of the special prosecutor was being promulgated, when it was being discussed in this house, Mr. Speaker, one thing and only one thing can be the sum of the role for which the office was created. Protection of the public purse.
“The office has deviated from its course of protecting the public purse. Mr. Speaker, complete deviation,” he claimed.
The OSP invariably got GH₵158.9 million to spend for 2026, with the house unanimously approving those estimates, even as they go ahead to deal with estimates of the various other ministries, departments, and agencies.