The Member of Parliament for Effia Constituency, Isaac Boamah Nyarko, has questioned the high budgetary allocation to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), arguing that its expenditure is disproportionate to its staff size and performance.
Speaking during discussions on the OSP’s budget estimates on Friday, March 28, Mr. Nyarko highlighted that despite having fewer than 250 employees, the office receives a substantial GHS71.8 million in compensation.
He questioned why the OSP continues to receive high financial allocations while other ministries and agencies face budget cuts.
Comparing the OSP’s budget to other institutions, he noted that while Legal Aid received only GHS5 million, the OSP was allocated GHS32 million for goods and services and GHS47 million for capital expenditure in previous years.
Despite these resources, he argued that the office has yet to produce sufficient tangible results to justify its funding.
Mr. Nyarko also scrutinized the OSP’s performance regarding its mandate to recover illicit funds.
He pointed out that the office was expected to retain 30% of recovered assets but has made little progress in that regard.
“If the Special Prosecutor works for a year and makes no recoveries, that is a complete failure. If no recoveries are being made, how can we assess the performance of the OSP? The Attorney General is supporting the OSP’s allocation of over 140 million cedis, but we must carefully review these estimates to ensure we get value for money,” he argued.
He called for a comprehensive review of the OSP’s budget and performance to ensure accountability and value for money.
