Sunyani: The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has renewed its call for an amendment to the country's Asset Declaration Law, advocating for enhanced enforcement mechanisms to bolster accountability in public service.
According to Ghana News Agency, the current asset declaration framework, governed by Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution and the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550), requires public office holders to declare their assets and liabilities to the Auditor-General. However, Ms. Pamela Laourou, Assistant Communications Officer of GACC, described the legislation as 'extremely weak' and urged for its urgent amendment to include asset verification and the publication of declared assets.
The appeal was made during a stakeholders' training on corruption organised by GACC at Abesim, near Sunyani, in the Bono Region. This event is part of the 'Strengthening Accountability, Rule of Law and Institutional Responsiveness in Ghana' (SARIS) project, funded by the European Union (EU), aiming to enhance the role of civil society organisations in advocating for reforms to improve Ghana's integrity systems.
The advocacy initiative, led by the Centre for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana) in collaboration with GACC and Transparency International Ghana (TI Ghana), emphasizes the importance of public office holders declaring their assets. Ms. Laourou stressed that public officials must remain accountable to the citizens they serve, highlighting the current law's loopholes that undermine its effectiveness.
Ms. Laourou urged the public to support advocacy efforts for legal reforms to protect the public purse. She educated participants, including chiefs, queen mothers, civil society representatives, and faith-based organisation leaders, on various forms of corruption, such as nepotism and conflict of interest, and advised them to resist, reject, and report corrupt practices.
Additionally, she emphasized the importance of evidence-based reporting of corruption, encouraging the public to report suspected cases through confidential channels. In an open forum, Mr. Raphael Ahenu, CEO of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), an anti-corruption and media advocacy NGO, called for a change in Ghanaians' attitudes towards corruption. Other stakeholders also condemned the practice of giving and accepting gifts that might influence public officials' duties and decisions.