Mahama Ayariga to withdraw anti-OSP Bill after Mahama’s intervention
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has announced that the Majority caucus will withdraw its Private Member’s Bill seeking to repeal the Act establishing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), following a request from President John Dramani Mahama.
Addressing Parliament on Friday, December 12, 2025, Mr. Ayariga revealed that the bill, which sought to scrap the OSP, had already been approved by the Committee on Private Members’ Bills and was ready to be laid before the House. However, he noted that the President’s intervention had prompted a reconsideration.
“I can assure you that I will take on board the request by His Excellency the President for us to think about our actions, and I can assure you that I have always had confidence in the wisdom of the President.
“So, based on the request made to me by His Excellency, the President, and my colleague, the Majority Chief Whip, I want to assure you that we will reconsider our decision,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor—who chairs the Private Members’ Motion Committee—confirmed that the bill remains active and under review.
“So on the basis of the request made to me by His Excellency the President and my colleague, the Majority Chief Whip, I want to assure you that we will reconsider our decision,” he stated.,” he said.
President Mahama had earlier described the push to abolish the OSP as premature. Speaking during a meeting with the National Peace Council on December 11, 2025, he stressed the need to strengthen the anti-corruption institution rather than dismantle it.
The repeal proposal, jointly sponsored by Mr. Ayariga and Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor on December 8, 2025, sought to return full prosecutorial authority over corruption cases to the Attorney-General. The proponents argued that the OSP had grappled with structural difficulties, constitutional ambiguities, duplication of prosecutorial duties, and high operational costs since its establishment eight years ago.
