The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has significantly ramped up its fight against corruption in 2025, with internal data revealing an expansion of its core investigative work.
The OSP’s year-in-review report shows that a total of 71 major cases are currently at the full investigation stage.
This workload is underpinned by an unprecedented intake of new cases: the OSP opened 40 new cases in 2025 alone, representing a staggering 148% year-on-year increase in the pace of corruption combat.
The investigations are sweeping across the economy and state machinery, covering multiple critical sectors, including extractives, petroleum, procurement, revenue assurance, and state agencies.
Expanding Scope of Corruption Probes
The surge in case initiation—from internal referrals, public complaints, and intelligence gathering—has rapidly expanded the OSP’s reach.
The 71 cases currently under full investigation are high-value and complex, targeting systemic corruption that has historically drained state resources.
The intensity of the OSP’s activity is further demonstrated by its increased focus on securing convictions and recovering stolen assets:
- Prosecutions: The OSP secured 7 convictions and initiated 6 new prosecutions in 2025 , bringing the total active caseload to 9. Currently, 33 persons are standing trial, with one acquittal being actively appealed.
Billions Saved and Millions Recovered
Beyond active cases, the OSP’s investigations delivered substantial direct and projected financial benefits to the state, preventing several massive financial losses and securing direct recoveries.
Avoided Financial Losses: GH₵5.73 Billion Shielded
Through decisive investigations, the OSP’s findings enabled Presidential action that prevented over GH₵5.73 billion in losses.
This colossal figure specifically represents sham payments that would have been made to Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) over five years for no commensurate work done.
The breakdown of this GH₵5.73 billion in avoided payments includes:
- Transaction Audit & Price Verification: GH₵553.5 million.
- Downstream Petroleum Measurement: GH₵697.3 million.
- Upstream Petroleum & Minerals Audits: GH₵2.6 billion in gold-sector payments and US$173.25 million in crude oil oversight.
Additionally, the termination of the Evatex Logistics–GACL contract protected Ghana from a further risk exposure of US$64.6 million (GH₵687 million).
Direct Recoveries and Asset Seizures
The OSP successfully completed direct recoveries amounting to GH₵6,506,198.89 and US$2,000,000.00. Key sources of these funds included:
- US$2 million recovered for MIIF from the gold trading programme.
- GH₵6.19 million recovered from petroleum product diversion investigations.
- GH₵206,000.00 secured from plea bargains.
Furthermore, the OSP seized assets valued at GH₵102,737,194.33 pending final confiscation proceedings. The report notes that many more assets seized, ranging from luxury cars to houses to bullion vans, are yet to be valued by the State Technical Committee (STC).
Prevention and Public Education
In a crucial shift toward preventative action, the OSP reached 9.4 million people through its Youth Against Corruption (YAC) and media initiatives.
- Public Outreach: 3.9 million people were reached via social media and 5.5 million people via TV and radio, strengthening public understanding of the OSP’s reports and investigations.
- Professional Education: The office educated 448 professionals across Obuasi, Tamale, Sunyani, Kumasi, Koforidua, and Ho on anti-corruption laws, procurement integrity, and transparent business practices.
- Youth Engagement: The YAC programme held 10 in-person sessions in cities like Accra, Koforidua, and Tamale, directly engaging 4,136 students in Accra and hundreds more young leaders across the country. Students reported a deeper understanding of how “corruption begins with seemingly small integrity violations like cheating in exams or disregarding school rules” , inspiring a stronger commitment to transparency.
The OSP affirmed its continued commitment to deepening partnerships with domestic agencies like the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Revenue Authority, as well as foreign investigative bodies, to support cross-border crime investigations and prosecution.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
