A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is disappointed in the Cabinet's reluctance to approve the Conduct of Public Officers Bill (CoPO) for enactment.

The coalition criticised the Cabinet's claim that existing laws are adequate to address the conduct of public officers, urging the government to expedite the Bill's approval and forward it to Parliament.

This was contained in a joint statement released on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

The group comprises OccupyGhana, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Citizen’s Movement Against Corruption (CMaC).

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The CoPO Bill, which has been pending since 2008, aims to introduce reforms in the declaration of assets and liabilities, address conflicts of interest, and establish a code of conduct for public officials.

The CSOs argue that the Bill is essential for combating corruption and ensuring accountability in public office.

“We specifically challenge and reject the Cabinet’s false claim that “there are already adequate provisions in existing laws to deal with the conduct of public officers,” and urge the Cabinet to quickly approve the Bill for enactment by Parliament soonest,” portions of the statement read.

Despite repeated assurances from the President and the Attorney-General, the Bill has faced significant resistance within the Cabinet.

The coalition contends that the lack of progress on the Bill reflects a broader unwillingness by the government to address corruption and uphold public trust.

“We are convinced that the recent issues arising and concerning public officials and apparently unexplained wealth would have been resolved if the 2022 CoPO Bill had been enacted. Possibly, that is why the Bill is facing strong resistance in Cabinet against its approval.

"This is inexplicably shocking, considering that the 2018 CoPO Bill was previously recommended for Parliament’s adoption with minimum suggestions by the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs (Parliamentary Committee) in July 2020.”

The CSOs are calling on Ghanaians, fellow CSOs, and the media to join the campaign to ensure that the Cabinet approves the Bill and that Parliament enacts it into law promptly.