It’s good to publish assets – Appiah-Kubi tells public office holders

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asante-Akim North constituency, Andy Appiah-Kubi, has advised public officeholders to publish their assets to avoid being accused of amassing wealth while in office.

He said it is a good sign for public officials to publish their assets.

Speaking on TV3’s The Key Points news analysis programme on Saturday, April 27, Mr. Appiah-Kubi said, “I support the calls for the publication. Indeed, it is good for us to publish the assets when you assume office.

“It is good for us, Members of Parliament, and everybody. I think it is good for you to publish so that you will not be accused wrongly,” he said.

The Asante-Akim North lawmaker revealed that he always declares his assets because there is nothing to hide.

Also, he noted that most of his assets, as he declared back in 2017, have remained the same, stating, “So it is a repetition of what I did in 2017.”

He added, “Trust me what I started in 2007 is still uncompleted so every year it will come but it is still, as we speak, uncompleted so that will even take the responsibility off our heads to prove any addition because there is no addition.”

Furthermore, Mr. Appiah-Kubi advocated for a continuous verification of the assets declared.

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He proposed a post-office verification of assets to ascertain whether or not public officials have added more assets within a certain period after exiting public office.

“The publication [of assets] alone will not solve the problem. We must continue to verify even post-office,” said Mr Appiah-Kubi, adding, “People will put their money somewhere, and when they are out of office that is where they apply.”

“So, there should be a time beyond your office where you will be investigated the next five years to see what you have added, so you must declare your assets beyond your retirement from office,” he emphasised.

However, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament challenged the Auditor-General’s office to be interested in verifying these assets and not only to publish what public officials have declared.

Asset declaration and corruption fight?

Corruption in Ghana involves the public sector and private people alike.

For this reason, since the 1970s, Ghana has adopted a declaration of assets and liabilities by public office holders as the “more potent tool, among other strategies, in fighting corruption in the public sector.”

Asset Declaration: We have enough laws to fight corruption – Deputy Attorney-General

Moreover, two main laws have regulated asset declaration–Article 286(1) of the 1992 Constitution and the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550).

Act 550 provides the framework and guidelines for asset declaration in Ghana as a tool to “combat corruption among public office holders.”

The asset declaration process involves the public official declaring his or her assets, income, and liabilities on assumption of office.

The process is repeated every four years and also upon ending the term of office.