Kissi Agyebeng on OSP law and powers during his vetting
via GhanaWeb3 min read
The prosecutorial powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor OSP are under public debate after a High Court in Accra directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to take over OSP cases until prosecutorial authorization is granted. The Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice has also asked the Supreme Court to declare Section 42 of the OSP Act unconstitutional. This section states that the OSP requires authorization from the Attorney-General to prosecute corruption offenses, subject to Article 884 of the Constitution, which allows the Attorney General or an authorized person to prosecute offenses. Article 883 of the Constitution states that the Attorney General is responsible for all criminal prosecutions. During his 2021 parliamentary vetting for the Special Prosecutor role, Kissi Agyebeng, in response to a question from Member of Parliament Mahama Ayariga, stated that the OSP law was "clearly problematic, constitutionally." He identified Article 883 as the source of the problem and noted that Parliament attempted to reconcile this with the OSP Act in a "side-wind fashion." Agyebeng indicated his readiness to collaborate with Parliament to address these issues.
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The Black Stars, Ghana's senior men's football national team, played to a 1-1 draw against Wales in a pre-World Cup friendly on June 2, 2026, at the Cardiff City Stadium. The first half ended goalless, with Wales creating several chances, and goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi making key saves for Ghana. Caleb Yirenkyi, a substitute, scored for the Black Stars in the 67th minute after Ernest Nuamah's shot was saved. Wales equalized in the 93rd minute with a diving header from substitute Luis Koumas. The Black Stars will play Jamaica in their final friendly before beginning their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. Ghana's World Cup journey starts on June 17, 2026, against Panama in Toronto, Canada, followed by matches against England on June 23 in Boston, United States, and Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.
Ghana's Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, announced that 8,000 newly recruited health workers are expected to start work by July 2026. The Ministry is finalizing administrative procedures for their placement. Akandoh stated that the full list of recruits and their interview locations will be published to ensure transparency. Priority will be given to rural and underserved communities to address staffing shortages and enhance healthcare delivery across the country.
Must ReadMinority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has distanced himself from a social media post that appeared to criticize the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025. The post, which circulated widely on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, suggested that criminalizing individuals based on their sexual orientation was akin to punishing them for who they are and whom they choose to associate with. It stated, "A law that imprisons people for their sexual orientation or who they choose to love does not protect society. It simply selects a group of human beings and makes their existence a crime," and added that "That is a line no Parliament in the civilised world should cross." The comments quickly gained traction, prompting questions about the Minority Leader's stance on the controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill. The original post was later deleted and replaced with a disclaimer from Afenyo-Markin, who stated, "Kindly disregard this post. Account was compromised." This incident occurs as public attention remains focused on the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, which Parliament passed on May 29, 2026. The bill aims to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana, with exemptions for certain professionals acting within their duties.
Must ReadMinority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has voiced strong opposition to legislation that criminalizes individuals based on their sexual orientation, arguing that such laws do not protect society but rather target specific groups. In a social media post on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Afenyo-Markin emphasized that Parliament should avoid passing laws that punish people for their identity or whom they choose to love, citing serious human rights concerns. He warned lawmakers against crossing this "dangerous line" in the legislative process. This statement comes after the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which seeks to criminalize LGBTQ+ activities, was reintroduced and passed by Parliament on Friday, May 29, 2026. The bill includes amendments that exempt certain individuals and institutions, such as those providing legal advice or representation, journalists reporting on LGBTQ+ issues, and healthcare professionals offering assistance, from sanctions.