Accra: Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, Special Prosecutor, has called for a mechanism to verify and trace assets declared by public officials, but opposed making such documents publicly accessible. He made the call at the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC) conference in Accra. The event, held over the weekend, was on the theme 'Revitalising the Anti-Corruption Architecture in Africa: Ghana's Accountability Journey.'
According to Ghana News Agency, last month, President John Dramani Mahama ordered the forfeiture of three months' salary of some public officials, donating the funds to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund. The President also warned appointees to declare their assets by May 6, 2025, after 55 officials and staffers failed to comply, as reported by the media. This reignited calls-especially from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)-for the government to take punitive action against defaulters, citing weak transparency and accountability measures.
Mr. Agyebeng emphasized the need to move beyond mere repositories to a system of verifying and tracing undeclared assets. However, he opposed the public disclosure of asset declarations, arguing that it would expose officials to undue scrutiny and potential reprisals. He suggested that publishing who has declared or has not declared their assets, in the context of a workable asset verification and tracing model, would suffice to assure the integrity of the asset declaration system.
The Special Prosecutor also advocated for incorporating integrity into the educational system, from basic to tertiary level, as a strategy to curb corruption. He highlighted the influence of role models on the youth, cautioning against the adoration of corrupt figures. Additionally, he recommended that unexplained wealth exceeding legitimate income should be subject to confiscation and proposed enshrining lifestyle audits in the Constitution.
Mr. Agyebeng further suggested that sanctions be prescribed beyond asset declarations to ensure that properties acquired after initial declarations-without reasonable sources-fall under constitutional provisions. He urged society to strive for change and maintain a focus on achieving a just and prosperous future.
