International corporate lawyer and entrepreneur Victoria Bright has urged the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to act decisively in the high-profile corruption case against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, warning that Ghana’s fight against corruption depends on the credibility of its institutions.
The comments came during JoyPrime’s Newsfile programme, hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini on Saturday, November 22, 2025 on the topic “OSP in the Eye of the Storm.”
Victoria Bright described the OSP’s upcoming arraignment of Ofori-Atta and others on 78 corruption counts as “ one of the highest counts that has been seen.” She acknowledged the office’s credibility but cautioned that they could still do more, especially now that Ghanaians want more from them
“As it stands, there is a credibility deficit, which is widening and the OSP has to quickly do something about it,” she said, noting that over 1.4 billion Ghana cedis are at stake while ordinary Ghanaians continue to suffer.
Bright emphasised that tackling this case is not just about prosecuting one individual, but a fight against corruption that requires all institutions to cooperate. She warned that while public focus has shifted to Ofori-Atta’s departure from the country, the OSP must demonstrate independence and fearlessness. “For Ghanaians to perceive that the office watched Ofori-Atta leave the country,” she said, the OSP must show it has the resources to act decisively rather than relying on other institutions. She criticised rhetoric and press conferences without concrete action, noting that questioning Ofori-Atta or freezing assets could have prevented suspects from preserving ill-got wealth. Bright stressed that the case is not lost, and suggested that the strategy should be carefully planned to ensure justice is achieved.
On allegations of EOCO abusing human rights, Bright said the office must balance its mandate with constitutional obligations and human rights protections, highlighting the delicate responsibility of law enforcement.
Turning to the topic of galamsey tribunals, Bright described them as only part of the solution, noting a backlog of about 1,700 cases which need to be taken for trial. She also said illegal miners are creating national security challenges by encroaching deep into forests and establishing armed, parallel authorities. She stressed that prosecuting offenders alone is insufficient. “As long as we do not tackle the persons financing these menaces, we cannot solve this problem,” Bright said. She called for a focus on addressing the root causes of illegal mining to protect the environment and national security.
