 |
| Harrison Belley |
A governance consultant and
a member of the Right to Information (RTI) Coalition in the Volta region, Mr.
Harrison Kofi Belley has called for a review of the Assets Declaration Law to
compel Public officials especially Ministers and their Deputies to declare
their assets before the appointment committee of Parliament during vetting.
This, he said would ensure
timely declaration and eliminate the tendency for false declaration by appointees,
noting that ‘the law in its current form do not promote transparency as
officials only list their assets on paper ,seal it in an envelope , and send it
to the Auditor General, who is also not permitted to verify the information
presented .‘
Article 286 (1) of the1992 Constitution
requires "a person who holds public office to submit to the Auditor
General a written declaration of all property and assets owned by or
liabilities owed by him directly or indirectly."
Speaking at a stakeholder
forum in Ho last Wednesday on the Right to Information (RTI), Mr. Belley posited
that public declaration of assets by appointees would ensure greater
transparency and accountability in governance, as it will empower the populace
to verify and monitor the activities of such officials.
The forum organised by the
Right to Information (RTI) Coalition with support from STAR-Ghana was on the
theme ‘Promoting the passage of an effective RTI law in Ghana; Mainstreaming RTI
into the Local Governance Structure’ and attended by members of various interest
groups from both formal and non-formal sector.
Mr. Tenaso Kofi Gbedema,
the Volta regional RTI focal person underscored the importance of the right to
information bill but said passing it in its current state will not serve its
intended purpose, noting that ‘the RTI a fundamental human right and the torch stone
for all freedoms.’
