The chairman for the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament Ben Abdallah is not in support of making the appointment of the Special Prosecutor competitive.
According to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), advertising for the position will help recruit the most efficient person to serve in the planned anti-graft office.
However, Mr. Abdallah feels that will be needless since provisions have been made in the Bill to guarantee independence of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
“The panelling or advertising for the position will be too cumbersome and circuitous,” the MP pointed out.
He said the Bill before Parliament requires that the Attorney General nominates the prospective prosecutor and then the president appoints before Parliament gives its approval.
“There are enough measures in the Bill to ensure the relative independence of the special prosecutor,” Abdallah told Starr News’ Parliamentary Correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan.
He added: “He is not accountable to anybody in terms of its prosecutorial or investigative powers, he is only accountable to the board in terms of policy formulation only. An independent fund is being established to ensure that monies will be approved by Parliament to give them some leverage and some amount of financial independence.”
He noted provision has also been made to ensure a tenure of office for the special prosecutor to protect him from witch-hunt.
“It will be difficult for the special prosecutor to be so easily removed so he won’t be under the whims and caprices of anyone,” the lawmaker noted.
The Corporate Affairs Manager of the Ghana Integrity Initiative Michael Boadi has called on President Akufo-Addo to make the appointment of the Special Prosecutor competitive.
Speaking to Morning Starr host Francis Abban, Boadi said: “If we want something new, then the processes should be new as well. We should give room to all who qualify and will like to take up the role of Special Prosecutor. Those who will apply for this role will have to go through the necessary processes. The appointment of the Special Prosecutor should be opened.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
