The government has been urged by two anti-corruption bodies to expedite the process of presenting the Conduct of Public Officer’s Bill to Parliament for swift enactment into law, aiming to bolster the country’s asset declaration system.
The proposed bill encompasses provisions for amending the existing Asset Declaration Act.
The organizations, namely the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), expressed concern that the Conduct of Public Officer’s Bill has been under consideration by the Cabinet for over a year, without any definitive commitment to present it before Parliament for thorough review and passage.
This call aligns with a similar appeal made by the pressure group, OccupyGhana.
The joint statement by GII and GACC, released in Accra, underscores the importance of expediting the legislative process to enhance transparency and accountability in public service and strengthen the fight against corruption.
The reference pertains to a recent incident involving the alleged theft of significant sums of money and personal belongings belonging to Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, and her husband.
The reported stolen funds amounted to $1 million, €300,000, and an undisclosed sum in Ghana cedis.
Following the revelation of this alleged theft, discussions have ignited across various social media and traditional communication channels, with numerous individuals expressing apprehension regarding the origin of the money and its intended purpose. The incident has generated considerable public interest and scrutiny, prompting debates about accountability and transparency in relation to public figures’ possessions and financial matters.
The organizations have acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the alleged theft committed by the workers. However, they emphasized that regardless of the regrettable incident, inquiries into the origin of the money are entirely valid and must be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate competent authorities.
“Much as we applaud the announced resignation of Madam Cecilia Dapaah, it seems unconscionable to think of a public officer and a renowned political personality keeping such colossal amounts of money outside of the banking sector.
“This is why the news of Madam Cecilia Dapaah’s swift arrest and subsequent investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) must be commended, even as we ask for transparency in the investigations,” the statement added.
The organisations also called for protection of the two house helps named in the case since they served as prime witnesses to the unfolding narrative.
The statement further called for the strengthening of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2003 (Act 646), to provide for a reverse burden of proof in addressing illicit enrichment.
“What this case brings to the fore is that the time has come for the government to enact laws that will strengthen the Criminal Offences, Act 1960 (Act 29) and other anti- corruption laws to include reverse burden of proof in addressing illicit enrichment.
“We strongly urge the President to take a decisive action in addressing alleged corruption cases and back his rhetoric on fighting corruption in the country with action by expelling the popular perception of interferences in corruption investigations involving persons in government,” it said.