President Nana Akufo-Addo has finally declared his assets at the Auditor General’s Department, fulfilling a constitutional requirement.
He declared his assets on January 24, 2017, a day after the Department said it was impossible for him to do so because the office had run out of receipt booklets.
Sources at the presidency had indicated that, the President was shocked and highly disappointed when he was told that the receipts which are issued as proof of assets declaration have run out, and they were unsure when some would be made available
Citi News further learnt that, when the presidential staffer asked the officials to call on the office of the President when the receipt booklets are ready; he was again told that even the landline phones at the Department were not functioning – which means placing that call to them, would be difficult.
The officials of the Auditor General’s Department were not aware that the request was being made on behalf of the President, who wanted to declare his assets.
Following his swearing-in as President on January 7, 2017, the President was eager to visit the office of the Auditor General’s Department, to fulfill the constitutional requirement of declaring all his assets.
The Auditor General’s Department, has a mandate to promote transparency and accountability in the country’s governance system, to help deal with the ever worsening corruption menace much more effectively.
President Akufo-Addo has campaigned strongly on transparency and accountability, and appears to be leading by example.
Revise assets declaration Act – GII
Some civil society organisations such as the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has demanded a revision of the Act on the declaration of assets by public office holders.
The GII wants Parliament to make it mandatory for all declared assets of public officials to be verified and published to enhance transparency.
“The sad development which renders this law needless in its present state is that the assets, if declared, are not ever known to members of the public who are expected to report of new acquisitions (undeclared) and which may have been procured through acts of corruption” the GII said in 2015.
Source: citifmonline.com
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