
President John Dramani Mahama has mandated all his appointees to declare their assets as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in his administration.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed ministers at the Jubilee House yesterday, President Mahama emphasized the significance of the directive, which aims to foster a culture of openness within the government. He also announced that the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, would oversee the asset declaration process to ensure full compliance.
The President underscored that under his administration, anti-corruption agencies would act against any appointee found to be in violation of the directive.
In response to this development, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) Madam Mary Addah, in an interview with Kofigo Media, commended President Mahama for the directive but called for the process to go beyond just asset declaration suggesting that the assets should also be published and undergo a verification process to ensure their accuracy.
Madam Mary Addah further recommended that the President set an example by declaring his own assets first and making them public. This, she argued, would set a clear standard for his appointees and leave them with no choice but to comply with the directive.
She also urged the President to outline clear sanctions for appointees who fail to declare their assets, including the potential revocation of their appointments. She recommended that the Chief of Staff, who is tasked with overseeing the process, set a strict timeline for compliance.
Madam Mary Addah also called for the swift passage of the Conduct of Public Officers Bill, which she believes would significantly reduce corruption among public officials.
Additionally, she urged the government to adequately equip key institutions like CHRAJ, EOCO, and the OSP to effectively enforce the directive and act against appointees involved in corruption or non-compliance.

