Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, has called on the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, to reconsider his stance against the publication of assets declared by public officials.
Speaking on Accra-based TV3 on Saturday, June 1, Mr. Dafeamekpor emphasized that public disclosure of assets is essential for transparency and is supported by Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution.
“So, I think Kissi got it absolutely wrong. As the Special Prosecutor, he should be the leading advocate for publication. He is wrong,” Dafeamekpor asserted.
His comments were in response to remarks made by Mr. Agyebeng at a recent high-level conference on Ghana’s anti-corruption framework. The Special Prosecutor argued that publishing asset declarations could lead to undue public scrutiny and potential threats against public officials.
“I do not and will not support calls for the publication of assets for public scrutiny. In our experience, it would be unhelpful and would expose public officers to inordinate public curiosity and potential reprisal attacks,” Agyebeng stated.
Countering this position, Dafeamekpor argued that the Constitution calls for transparency and public accountability.
“How can the Constitution mandate asset declaration and then deny the public access to them?” he questioned. “The very term ‘declaration’ implies openness. You can’t declare something and then hide it in a closet.”
He acknowledged that Parliament has fallen short in enacting supporting legislation but noted that efforts are underway to address the issue.
“Parliament has rightly been criticized for not providing legal backing. We’ve drafted a Private Members’ Bill, but the government has asked us to hold on as it prepares a more comprehensive bill covering both assets and liabilities,” he said.
Dafeamekpor concluded by underscoring the broader principle behind the Constitution: “One of the cardinal rules of interpreting the Constitution is to read it as a whole. The 1992 Constitution is grounded in accountability and transparency. Implementation may be challenging, but public officials must be accountable to the people.”
Credit: myjoyonline.com
