Asiedu Nketia to CRC: Split AG and Justice Ministry to strengthen anti-corruption drive

The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has urged the Constitutional Review Committee to recommend the separation of the Attorney-General’s office from that of the Minister for Justice, citing it as a necessary reform to strengthen the fight against corruption.

Speaking at an Anti-Corruption Summit in Accra on Thursday, Mr Asiedu Nketia criticised Ghana’s current legal framework, where one individual simultaneously serves as both Attorney-General and Minister for Justice.

He contended that this dual role undermines the integrity of the justice system and hinders efforts to prosecute public officials involved in corruption.

“We were wrong in combining the office of Attorney-General and the Minister of Justice,” he asserted.

“As Attorney-General, you are supposed to prosecute wrongdoing, but as a Minister of Justice sitting in Cabinet, you are part of a collective that formulates and approves government policies.”

He further explained that the structure creates an inherent conflict of interest. “It becomes extremely difficult for that same person to turn around and prosecute fellow Cabinet members,” he added, arguing that the arrangement discourages accountability and shields corrupt officials from the law.

Mr Asiedu Nketia maintained that separating the roles would not only strengthen democratic institutions but also restore public confidence in the justice system.

He called on the Constitutional Review Committee to treat the proposal as a key reform in enhancing transparency and good governance in Ghana.

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