Time for public declaration of assets by politicians and top public officials?

By Kofi Thompson

If her intention to amass a fortune of US$1,000,000 before quitting politics had not come to light in such dramatic fashion, one wonders how the former deputy minister for communications, Ms. Hammah, would have gone about achieving that goal, on her ministerial salary.

One also wonders whether such potentially nation-wrecking avarice drives any of the many loquacious politicians one hears battling in the propaganda wars fought on the airwaves of Ghana's many radio and television stations.

If we are to prevent privileged individuals in society from taking advantage of their official positions to amass wealth illegally, surely we must change the 1992 constitution to ensure that such individuals are required by law to publicly publish their assets, as well as those of their spouses?

Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom's trailblazing example in publicly publishing his filed tax returns, and revealing the sources of his Progressive Peoples Party's (PPP) funding, before the December 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections, is one that should guide all Ghanaian politicians and political parties.

Clearly, to prevent high-level corruption in Ghana, our nation's politicians and political parties must be encouraged, to follow the shining example set by Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom and the PPP.

As a people we must do everything we can to keep cynical individuals with greedy ambitions out of our nation's politics.

The question then is: is this not the perfect time for our country's political class to reach a consensus agreement that in the national interest, the 1992 constitution of Ghana ought to be amended as a matter of urgency, to require all politicians and senior public servants to publicly publish their assets, as well as those of their spouses, immediately before assuming office, and in the period just after the end of their tenure? A word to the wise...