Avoidance, disclosure crucial strategy to handle conflict of interest

Mrs Mary Addah, Executive Director, Ghana Integrity Initiative, says the best way to handle conflict of interest was avoidance and disclosure.She said avoidance helped preemptively manage conflicts by steering clear of situations where conflicts could influence outcomes whereas disclosure ensured that when conflicts arise or could not be avoided, they were openly communicated and managed in a transparent manner.Mrs Addah said by avoiding the conflict, you prevented it from escalating into a more serious issue, where it could be particularly useful if the conflict was minor or if addressing it directly might lead to more significant disputes.The Executive Director was speaking at a training session organised by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition for its project institutional partners on conflict of interest, which aligns with the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan's second strategic objective.The training aimed at educating public officials on conflict of interest as a key factor in the fight again st corruption.Mrs Addah said when conflicts were disclosed, decision-makers could account for these conflicts when making choices, ensuring that decisions were made with full knowledge of all relevant factors.The Executive Director said as individuals, they inherently possessed various interests, which could occasionally lead to conflicts, as some interests may take precedence over others.She said it was essential for everyone to identify their interests and any associated conflicts, and to critically assess how to manage them, such that understanding the specific type of conflict faced and the appropriate measures for resolution was crucial for effective management.Mrs Addah said the implementation of a third-party mechanism had proven to be highly effective by involving an external party, with priority on the organisation's best interests and avoiding personal biases, allowing the third party to address and resolve the issue impartially.She said the delay in passing the Bill into law was due to cu ltural norms and concerns about personal safety or family dynamics discouraging transparency about one's assets, however the benefits of managing conflicts of interest and promoting transparency outweighed these concerns.The Executive Director said in the previous parliamentary session, the proposal nearly passed as it progressed through the legislative process, unfortunately, it was ultimately not approved due to procedural decisions.She said while the institution lacked certain regulatory frameworks that other institutions may have, it was essential to advocate actively, engage more thoroughly, and work towards achieving positive outcomes.Mr Stephen Azantilow, Director of Anti-Corruption, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said the issue of conflicts of interest pertained to the conduct of public officials.He said during the drafting of the 1992 Constitution, it was recognised that a provision was necessary to guide public officers in their duties and ensure ethical perfo rmances.'The reason being that if public officers are not giving guiding principles on how to perform in public service, they will cross the threshold and engage in all aspects of corruption,' he added.He said conflict of interest was addressed under Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution, where the provision prohibited public officials from placing themselves in situations where their private interests could potentially influence or impair the performance of their official duties.Mr Azantilow said public officials were entrusted by the people of Ghana to provide services on their behalf, hence the need for them to conduct themselves in a manner that upheld and maintained confidence in their ability to deliver these services.He said under the Constitution, only CHRAJ or the Chief Justice had the authority to investigate allegations of conflict of interest involving a commissioner.Mr Azantilow added that the Conduct of Public Officers Bill included a provision to elevate certain conflict of interest si tuations to criminal matters so that if a public officer was found culpable, CHRAJ may recommend criminal prosecution based on the severity of the conflict of interest.Source: Ghana News Agency