Occupy Ghana calls on Special Prosecutor to join fight in removing six-month asset declaration provision

Pressure group Occupy Ghana, has written to the Special Prosecutor, inviting him to join in their efforts to remove the six-month extension to assets and liabilities declaration by public officers.

The group says the post-appointment provision that allows a public officer to declare his assets six months after taking office, is unconstitutional and renders the process of determining unexplained wealth lost.

“Somehow, Ghana’s political class, uncomfortable with the pre-appointment declarations, in passing the Public Officer Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550), provided in section 1(4) that although the declarations should be ‘made’ in accordance with article 256(1) of the Constitution, a public officer is allowed a 6-month post-appointment period to ‘submit’ the declaration,” parts of the letter read.

“By this bizarre and incongruous provision, the public officer would make the declaration before being appointed, but would be entitled to hold on to it and submit it to the Attorney-General up to 6 months after being appointed.”

The group in its letter added that it wrote to the Attorney-General on the matter in December 2019 and after receiving the first response on the matter, the Attorney-General has failed to respond to subsequent letters.

Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyabeng, appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee in July, declared that he will be committed to dealing with unexplained wealth accrued by government officials.

Occupy Ghana said it is for this reason it has written to the Special Prosecutor for support in amending the Act.

Below is the statement;