The Supreme Court has ruled that public officers must declare their assets before assuming office, declaring the current six‑month grace period unconstitutional.

This follows the court’s decision on March 18, 2026, in a case filed by the Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson.

In the 3News newscard post on X on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the Court ruled that Article 286 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution requires asset declaration before assuming office, and delaying it undermines transparency and accountability.

Thompson challenged the constitutionality of the six‑month grace period allowed under the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1997 (Act 550).

He argued through his lawyers that the Constitution (Article 286) clearly requires public officers to declare their assets before assuming office, and the grace period created room for corruption and abuse.

It is on the back of this that the Supreme Court has agreed with ASEPA’s position, and therefore struck out the grace period.

The ruling therefore demands that asset declarations must be made before swearing‑in or on the assumption of duty.

The Supreme Court has ruled that public officers must declare their assets before assuming office, striking down the six-month grace period provided under Act 550 as unconstitutional in a landmark judgment delivered on March 18, 2026#3NewsGH #TV3GH pic.twitter.com/S4X0L8VsDZ

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) March 18, 2026