Audio By Carbonatix
An anti-corruption campaigner has welcomed calls for public officials to declare their assets annually but says that will yield no results under the current constitutional dispensation.
According to Vitus Azeem who is the Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative the current practice which makes it even impossible for the Auditor-General to be privy to the details of declared assets by public officials makes the work of anti corruption campaigners all the more difficult.
A governance think-tank Danquah Institute had proposed an annual declaration of assets in order to track how public officials acquire their wealth.
Mr Azeem told Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoe such proposals were laudable and constitutes international best practice. "In some countries it's every two years, in our case it is four years; but the point is that the essence of that law is to help people monitor the acquisition of wealth by public officials and so the more frequent you do it the easier for the public to monitor the acquisition of assets,” he said.
Laudable as the law appears to be, Mr Azeem fears it will not see the “light of day,” accusing Parliament of plotting to make the declaration of assets an ineffective tool to fight corruption.
He said Parliament has continuously kicked against calls for a public declaration of assets.
As if that is not enough, the House, he says, has frowned on attempts to get the Auditor-General aware of the details of declared assets.
“We have had several discussions with Parliament and even more important issues like public disclosure, they say, they will never pass a bill that will let them publish the assets declared.
“Secondly even for the Auditor-General to open the envelope and see whether it is accurate or not, they say it is not allowed and it is against the constitution.
"The Auditor-General is a custodian, at least, he should be given the power to open and verify," he insisted.
He said unless there is a constitutional amendment, the declaration of assets will continue to be a ‘white elephant’ as an anti-corruption tool.
Play the attached audio for excerpts of the interview with Vitus Azeem
Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
NAIMOS intensifies anti-galamsey crackdown in Western and Western North Regions
31 minutes -
ORAL: Government has turned prosecutions into performances – Kwesi Botchway Jnr
59 minutes -
But for GoldBod, Ghana would’ve been on its knees – Rosemond Obeng
1 hour -
Galamsey: 5 arrested in NAIMOS crackdown on Birim River
1 hour -
GoldBod’s $214m is a transactional cost, not a loss – Parliament’s Economic and Dev’t Committee chair
2 hours -
‘Which of your ‘old’ ideas reduced dollar rate or fuel prices?’ – Kobby Mensah to Oppong Nkrumah
2 hours -
Defence Ministry swears in 9-member advisory board
2 hours -
Energy Ministry clarifies ECG reform, assures no sale under private sector participation
2 hours -
24-hour Livestock Market launched to drive economic growth
2 hours -
Gender Minister leads call for coordinated action to reduce maternal deaths
3 hours -
Driver’s mate jailed for stealing cash and mobile phone
3 hours -
Legal Green Association commends government and Edmond Kombat for TOR revival
5 hours -
Trump hopes to reach phase two of Gaza ceasefire ‘very quickly’
5 hours -
Bangladesh’s first female prime minister Khaleda Zia dies aged 80
5 hours -
We’ll prosecute persons who do not surrender illegal arms before Jan 15 – Dr Bonaa
5 hours
