The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation of Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson Nelson Este Kwami Dafeamekpor following the withdrawal of a bill seeking to abolish the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
In a statement signed by First Deputy Minority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, the Minority said the two leaders had acted in direct contradiction to President John Dramani Mahama’s stated commitment to strengthening the OSP. The Minority described the move as unauthorized, ill-conceived, and a serious breach of trust.
On December 8, 2025, the Majority Leader and Chief Whip sponsored the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Repeal) Bill, 2025, which sought to abolish Act 959 and transfer the OSP’s functions to the Attorney-General’s Office.
Two days later, President Mahama publicly described the OSP as a vital institution in the fight against corruption and called for it to do more to restore public confidence.
The Presidency subsequently announced on December 11 that the President had directed the withdrawal of the bill, a move the Minority described as a public repudiation of the parliamentary leadership.
The Minority also raised concerns about what it described as suspicious timing surrounding the bill. According to the statement, the attempt to repeal the OSP law followed closely after the arrest of Martin Kpebu, a known critic of the OSP and an individual widely regarded as aligned with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
They further pointed to a Supreme Court challenge to Act 959 announced on social media by Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai, which coincided with the introduction of the repeal bill. The Minority questioned whether the legislative action and court challenge formed part of a coordinated effort to undermine the independence of the OSP.
The Minority said the OSP was established under the NPP and was allowed to operate independently even when its actions caused political discomfort to the party. They argued that the current situation reflects a troubling contrast in commitment to the rule of law and institutional independence.
The Minority described the actions of the Majority Leader and Chief Whip as either gross incompetence or deliberate insubordination, adding that their conduct demonstrated unfitness for their leadership roles. They warned that the episode had damaged Ghana’s anti-corruption credibility, weakened prosecutorial independence, and raised serious concerns about democratic governance.
According to the Minority, the President’s intervention to withdraw the bill confirms that the initiative was unauthorized and inconsistent with government policy. They insist that the continued stay of the two leaders in office undermines confidence in Parliament’s leadership.
The Minority concluded by demanding the immediate resignation of Mr Ayariga and Mr Dafeamekpor, stating that resignation is necessary to restore policy coherence, protect the independence of anti-corruption institutions, and uphold the rule of law.
