Former Auditor General Daniel Domelevo has called for a merger of Ghana’s anti-corruption institutions, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).
Speaking on GHOne TV‘s State of Affairs, Mr. Domelevo expressed his concerns about the financial burden of establishing new institutions when existing ones could be empowered instead.
“Establishing a new institution costs a lot of money. I’ve forgotten how much they have spent on the OSP establishing just the head office. I imagine they are going to roll out to 16 regional offices, to the 16 regions, and also to the 261 districts. It’s a huge sum of money,” Domelevo noted, highlighting the costs associated with expanding OSP operations to every region and district. He proposed that the government may better address anti-corruption initiatives by extending the mandates of current organizations like EOCO rather than establishing new ones.
Mr. Domelovo’s first resistance to the OSP’s formation forms the basis of his viewpoint. “When the bill was proposed, I was against it because I thought we had enough anti-graft or anti-corruption institutions,” he said.
Domelovo praised the accomplishments of the OSP despite his doubts, especially under its current leadership. “Kissi Agyabeng has also come in, and he’s doing his best. The gentleman has to be commended,” Mr. Domelovo stated.
Mr. Domelovo’s suggestion to combine Yoko and the OSP is indicative of his support for a more efficient strategy to combat corruption. “EOCO is already in the regions and the districts. So if we combine the two and have one person head them, I think that will also save us some money,” he suggested.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
