2 May 2025

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), in collaboration with the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF), Good Governance Africa (GGA), and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), has embarked on a nationwide tour aimed at educating and securing the commitment of private sector businesses to combat procurement corruption.

Through a series of workshops held across five regional capitals so far—Tamale, Sunyani, Kumasi, Koforidua, and Ho—members of the PEF were taken through the processes for securing government contracts, the legal definitions of procurement corruption, the penalties involved, and the procedures for reporting public officials who demand bribes before approving contracts. The workshop is taking place between March and May 2025.

Mr Samuel Appiah Darko, Director for Strategy, Research, and Communications at the OSP, led sessions focusing on procurement-related offences classified as corruption and explained the OSP’s mandate to investigate and prosecute such crimes. He highlighted the damaging effects of procurement corruption, emphasising its role in draining national resources and distorting fair market competition.

Mr Appiah Darko noted that while many businesses are victims of corrupt and opaque procurement processes, some also serve as willing accomplices or enablers. He stressed that tackling corruption in procurement is crucial—not only to reduce the cost of doing business but also to foster transparency, accountability, and fairness in Ghana’s economic environment.
He further encouraged participants to resist unethical practices, stating: “In the midst of a corrupt environment, it still pays to stand out.” He underscored the importance of integrity and the courage to act rightly.

The OSP called on private sector stakeholders to play an active role in the anti-corruption drive by reporting suspected offences—either in person, via its toll-free number, by email, or through its secure anonymous reporting platform on the OSP website. Participants were assured of legal protection under the Whistleblower Act, 2006 (Act 720) and the Witness Protection Act, 2018 (Act 975), which safeguard individuals who come forward with credible information.