Ensure your appointees declare their assets - Crusaders Against Corruption to Mahama

The Crusaders Against Corruption Ghana (CACG) has urged President John Dramani Mahama to prioritise the enforcement of Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates the declaration of assets and liabilities by specific public officeholders.

The group emphasised that this enforcement would reinforce the President’s commitment to combating corruption while fostering transparency, accountability, and integrity within his administration.

Article 286(1) of the 1992 Constitution states:

A person who holds a public office mentioned in clause (5) of this Article shall submit to the Auditor-General a written declaration of all property or assets owned by or liabilities owed by him, whether directly or indirectly.

In a statement dated Tuesday, 21 January, Chief Crusader Emmanuel Wilson of the CACG called on President Mahama to prioritise this legal obligation by only swearing in appointees who comply with the asset declaration requirement.

The statement read

As the President of Ghana, CACG implores you to ensure strict adherence to this legal obligation by swearing into office only those who have declared their assets and liabilities. Enforcing asset declaration is critical not only for combating corruption but also for fostering transparency and accountability in governance.

Clause 5 of Article 286 outlines the public officers required to declare their assets, including:

• The President of the Republic;

• The Vice-President of the Republic;

• Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Members of Parliament;

• Ministers of State or Deputy Ministers;

• Chief Justice, Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature, Chairpersons of Regional Tribunals, the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, and their Deputies;

• Ambassadors or High Commissioners;

• Secretary to the Cabinet;

• Heads of Ministries or government departments or equivalent offices in the Civil Service;

• Chairpersons, Managing Directors, General Managers, and Departmental Heads of public corporations or companies where the State has a controlling interest; and

• Any other public officials as prescribed by Parliament.

Below is a copy of the statement.