The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) have jointly called for the immediate passage of the Conduct of Public Officers Bill to strengthen Ghana’s asset declaration regime.

This bill includes provisions on the amendments to the existing Asset Declaration Act to guarantee a robust asset declaration regime.

In a joint statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, GII and GACC explained that the Conduct of Public Officers Bill had been in front of the cabinet for more than a year without any clear commitment to having it laid before parliament for consideration and passage.

"We are also calling for strengthening the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2003 (Act 646) to provide for the reverse burden of proof in addressing illicit enrichment."

GII and GACC stressed that the ongoing case involving the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources brought to the fore the need for the government to enact laws to strengthen the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) and other anti-corruption laws to include the reverse burden of proof in addressing illicit enrichment.

"We strongly urge the President to take decisive action in addressing alleged corruption cases and back his rhetoric on fighting corruption in Ghana by expelling the popular perception of interference in corruption investigations involving persons in his government," the statement read.