Three months after President J.E.A. Mills directed his ministers to declare their assets, many of them have yet to comply with the directive. A week after taking office in February the president directed his ministers to declare their assets ahead of the constitutionally mandated six months. The directive was seen as a demonstration of the president’s commitment to fulfilling his promise of vigorously fighting corruption. But the ministers responsible for Food and Agriculture, Kwesi Ahwoi; Local Government and Rural Development, Joseph Yiele Chireh; Education, Alex Tettey-Enyo and the Deputy Water Resources, Works and Housing Minister, Dr. Louisa Hanna Bisiw, among others have yet to declare their assets. They told Joy News reporter Sammy Darko they were about to comply with the directive. “I have completed work on asset declaration form, the submission is still part of the problem. I have not formally submitted it to the Auditor-General because I traveled out for some time but I will submit it,” Mr Yiele Chireh said. Mr. Tettey-Enyo said he will submit his asset declaration forms by Monday, May 11, 2009. Anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem told Joy News’ Matilda Asante that he was not surprised many of the ministers had not complied with the president’s directive. He said many politicians were either unable or unwilling to declare their assets as required by law. According to him, the president must take some action against those ministers who flouted his directive. “As their boss they are supposed to comply or at least give convincing reasons as to why they have not been able to comply.” He said even though they have not contravened the law which gives them six months upon taking office to declare their assets, it was important for them to meet the president's deadline. Mr. Azeem believes the failure of the ministers to comply with the directive points to a certain weakness in the president. The president, he maintained, must put his foot on the ground and ensure that his instructions were not flagrantly ignored. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com