Linda Ofori-Kwafo
The Executive Director of Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Linda Ofori-Kwafo, has been appointed as the first chairperson of the Office of the Special Prosecutor which has been established to tackle corruption.
Mrs. Ofori-Kwafo, who is the representative of Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition on the nine-member board, was chosen by her other board members to chair their activities.
Her appointment is in line with statutes which state that members of the board, just like the Council of State, must appoint their own chairperson, thus barring the President from making such appointments.
President Akufo-Addo, who inaugurated the nine-member board last month, urged the members to swiftly choose an individual to chair their activities.
He urged them to choose a person who would facilitate the intercourse between the board and Office of the Special Prosecutor.
“You have to sit after this meeting, either today or whenever it’s convenient for you and designate the chairperson to chair your organization. That is what the law requires. All I can hope for is that you will choose somebody who will facilitate the intercourse among yourselves,” the President said during the inauguration.
A month after the inauguration, the GII boss, has been chosen by other members of the board as their chairperson.
This may not come as a surprise, as she was the one who spoke on behalf of her colleagues to thank the President for reposing confidence in them during the inauguration.
Board
The nine-member board includes the Special Prosecutor himself, Martin Amidu; Deputy Special Prosecutor, Cynthia Lamptey; representative of the Audit Service, Addae Wireko-Tawiah; representative of the Ghana Police Service; Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), DCOP Maame Tiwaa Addo Danquah; representative of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Charles Nana Antwi and a representative of the Financial Intelligence Centre, Kofi Boadi Boakye.
The rest include a representative of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Charles Ayamdo; a representative of the Minister for National Security, Kwaku Domfeh; and representative of Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Linda Ofori-Kwafo.
President Akufo-Addo, who promised to tackle corruption, immediately tasked the board to do everything possible to assist the Special Prosecutor and his deputy to meet the expectation of Ghanaians in the fight against corruption in the public sector.
The President, however, advised the Office of Special Prosecutor not to persecute but prosecute public servants and government functionaries who engage in corrupt practices.
President Akufo-Addo noted that “the quality of personnel assembled is to give confidence that this very difficult assignment that is going to be undertaken in all seriousness will be done without fear or favour, ill-will or malice.”
He expressed confidence in their ability to discharge their duties diligently to the satisfaction of the Ghanaian people.
By Gibril Abdul Razak