Assert Declaration In Ghana Is A Big Joke- Daniel Batidam

Former Chief Advisor on corruption to former President John Mahama, Daniel Batidam says the Asset Declaration Act in the laws of Ghana has no meaning and also a big joke.

According to him, everything about Asset Declaration in Ghana is shredded in secrecy to the extent that no one can cross check the Asset declared form of public officers.

He added that even the circumstances under which someone can access the Asset Declared form is too cumbersome and looks virtually impossible.

Speaking in an interview with Accra based Joy FM, he said Asset Declaration is important for the fight against Political corruption. He continued that there should be an institution like CHRAJ to verify the asset declaration by a public officer.

Office Of The Special Prosecutor A ‘Big Joke’ 

Mr Daniel Batidam has in an interview as well described the Special Prosecutor idea of the Akufo-Addo government as a “big joke”.

According to him, Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent revelation that corrupt officials of the Mahama administration would soon face prosecution, Mr Batidam told Accra-based Joy FM that: “This Special Prosecutor thing, I don’t get it.”

“It is as simple as Nana Akufo-Addo’s Attorney General, if he or she has the evidence, to proceed to court and begin prosecution. In any case, if anyone tells me that the president wants to make sure he gets an independent person to do prosecution, he can easily find the independent person, appoint the fellow as Attorney General and the fellow will get to work,” he said.

He said the president can fight corruption without the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

Declare Your Assets – Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition tells Amidu

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition has called on Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, to declare his assets in accordance with law.

The call by the coalition comes at the period the Auditor General, Daniel Domelovo, has thrown an open invitation to public office holders earning the minimum salary of GHS3,700 to declare their asserts or be coerced to do so.

“Once he is going into public office, he’s expected to declare his assets. That is what the law says so that is what everybody has do. So once you agree to go into public office and this is not even new to the person appointed as Special Prosecutor because he has already being in public office before, so I believe it shouldn’t be a problem.” – Ms Narteh said in an interview.