The executive director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, says the country’s current asset declaration regime is ineffective in the fight against corruption.
“I think the assets declaration regime that we currently have is for many of us, almost a toothless bulldog.”
Speaking on JoyNwes’ Newsfile programme held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Saturday, December 28, Prof. Prempeh said the current asset declaration regime was of such an insignificant standard to hold public office holders accountable to it.
“It is such a minimum standard; you declare, it’s sealed, the public does not have access to it, [the public] can’t come with evidence to challenge what you’ve declared to own or to owe and all of that. So it’s a pretty really minimal standard, not, for me, sufficient as part of the toolkit in the fight against corruption.”
He said this in response to a question asked by investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni concerning the yet-to-be-sworn-in Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah’s inability to declare to his assets before he was sworn in as a judge at the High Court and the Appeals Court judge.
According to Manasseh, Justice Anin-Yeboah’s inability to declare his assets at those times of his career, serves a precedent for others to also refuse to declare their assets.
“If the President goes ahead to swear him in, can we ever hold any person responsible if they don’t declare their assets?”
Justice Anin-Yeboah had revealed, during his Parliamentary vetting, that before being sworn in as a High Court judge and later as a judge at the Appeals Court, he had not declared his assets.
He had, however, declared his assets privately when he was appointed a Supreme Court judge.
Prof. H.K. Prempeh in relation to that said, the inquiry into asset declaration should have been the work of the Executive and not the Legislature as it had happened.
“It’s important enough that it should have been the task of the Executive to do that behind closed doors before putting the nominee out than to be exposed in that way.”
According to him, the lax nature of the executive arm of government concerning asset declaration has diminished its significant role in the fight against corruption.
“If you intend to nominate a person, among the things you do in a due diligence test, you should call them in and run them through a battery of questions. ‘Have you declared your assets? Did you do this? Did you do that?’ This is not something that should even get to Parliament”, he said.
He suggested that Ghana emulates other asset declaration regimes like South Africa’s, where asset declaration for public office holders is compulsory and is publicised. In addition, the assets of close relatives of the public office holder are also declared but kept confidential.
This he claims will be a more effective way to deal with corruption in the country.
Latest Stories
- CHAN 2022: Black Galaxies suffer shock exit after Niger defeat
14 mins - Analysis: Ghana’s GDP growth for 2022 lags behind other African countries – AfDB
8 hours - We need to strengthen institutions and governance systems – Dr. Theo Acheampong
8 hours - Ghana’s balance of payments deficit worsens to $3.64 billion
9 hours - Mr. Samuel Nii Dodoo
9 hours - Catholic Diocese of Jasikan, GIISDEC to promote sustainable iron ore exploration in Oti
9 hours - Individual bondholders to be exempted from debt exchange programme – Martin Kpebu
11 hours - Police arrest 4 suspects for robbery, murder at Wassa Agona
11 hours - Fire destroys 3 houses, five vehicles at Kwadaso
12 hours - Performance of changed minority leaders outstanding, reshuffle came as a surprise – Political Analyst
12 hours - Abubakar Malik Atampuri: A detailed analysis of why Dr. Kuganab-Lem lost the Binduri seat to the NPP
13 hours - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says Mohamed Salah is ‘suffering’ this season
14 hours - Auditor General’s Covid-19 report: ‘We need to see prosecution’ – Theo Acheampong
14 hours - Mrs Frances Ivy Anin nee Nana Akyere
14 hours - Supporting budget with 46% of Covid-19 funds not wrong – Sylvester Tetteh on Auditor-General’s report
15 hours