Merge OSP, DPP, and EOCO into one prosecutorial body-Ace Ankomah
He has proposed that three key institutions – the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) – be collapsed into one autonomous body
Private legal practitioner Ace Anan Ankomah is calling for a fundamental redesign of Ghana’s anti-corruption machinery, anchored in a single, fully independent prosecutorial authority.
He has proposed that three key institutions – the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) – be collapsed into one autonomous body with a clear mandate to investigate and prosecute corruption and economic crimes.
His intervention comes at a time when both Parliament and the public are locked in debate over whether the OSP should be abolished or structurally overhauled.
Appearing on Channel One TV on Monday, 8 December, Mr Ankomah argued that the current controversy should not be treated as an isolated dispute, but rather as an opportunity to rethink the entire prosecutorial framework.
He urged a constitutional review of Article 88(3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution, which currently vest prosecutorial authority in the Attorney-General, saying the existing model has struggled to deliver credible outcomes in sophisticated corruption and economic crime cases.
“In my view, Parliament passing the OSP Act is the biggest concession that, when it comes to corruption and corruption-related offences, the AG’s office has not done well,” he said.
Mr Ankomah highlighted the complexity of economic and financial crime, noting that accused persons often deploy highly technical legal strategies. In his assessment, the present system does not consistently have the specialised skills or institutional configuration required to match those defences.
To close this gap, he recommended a consolidation that would:
harness the anti-corruption focus that underpinned the creation of the OSP;
leverage the institutional continuity and structure associated with the DPP; and
integrate EOCO’s investigative capabilities.
Together, he said, these elements could be fused into one politically insulated authority capable of managing high-stakes criminal prosecutions without fear or favour.
