The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Vitus Azeem has proposed sanctions against public officials who have failed to declare their assets. Mr. Vitus Azeem has therefore admonished the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Attorney General’s Department and the Ministry of Justice to initiate appropriate processes to carry out this action. His comments come in the wake of the release of the corruption assessment report put together by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition which has revealed that many public officials have failed to disclose their assets. The report indicated that 57 out of the 72 ministers have not yet declared their assets. The Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act of 1998 - Act 550 requires that all public officials, ministers of state and cabinet ministers declare their assets within a period of six months after coming into office. But Vitus Azeem is heartbroken that the ministers have failed to heed to the call made by President Mills to declare their assets at the beginning of the president's administration in 2009. "I think that they (government officials) have contravened the constitution and the Act 550…At least within eight months of the appointment they (government officials) are supposed to have declared their assets and if they have not, they have contravened the law,” he posited. Mr Azeem who was speaking to Citi News on Monday said the president has the responsibility to ensure that his ministers do the right thing by declaring their assets and those who fail to do so must be sanctioned. Meanwhile the Acting Commissioner of CHRAJ Anna Bossman who also spoke to Citi News has said the Commission will request the list of appointees who have not declared their assets in order to take up the necessary action. Ms Bossman said CHRAJ's "first port of call is to now report the matter for administrative sanctions” to be taken, stressing that it is easy to identify officials who have declared their assets as they are given receipts to this effect. Ms Bossman said her outfit was going to make ensure that the law on asset declaration is adhered to. Story by Derick Romeo Adogla/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana