Irregularities at the Auditor General’s department hindered President Nana Addo’s assets declaration on Monday.
It would appear unlikely that the President of a country, who willingly wishes to declare his assets, is experiencing some constraints at the designated organization responsible for the smooth run of the exercise.
President Nana Addo has not been able to declare his assets to the public, due to some challenges at the office of the Auditor General. On Monday, January 23, 2017, the President’s attempt to declare his assets at the Auditor General’s Department, was halted because the department had no receipt booklets.
The President was literally disappointed and appalled upon discovering that the AG’s department had been ill-equipped to such level. A presidential staffer who interacted with officials of the Auditor General’s Department on behalf of the President, said he was told that the receipts, which are issued as proof of assets declaration have run out. He also said they were unsure if some would be made available sooner than later.
The Auditor general’s department is the monitoring and accountability organ of the state. It is mandated to audit the public accounts of Ghana’s public offices. The AG’s department has a mandate to promote transparency and accountability in the country’s governance system, to help deal with corruption.
It is not a Fresh Problem
The recent hitch which hindered Nana Addo’s assets declaration at the AG’s department, is only one of the many irregularities found in the public sector system as well as other government parastatals.
Vice President of the country, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia also experienced a similar thing during his recent visit to the AG’s department. Ghana’s Veep who interacted with Ghanaians who were at the Department to register their businesses, discovered that there is a problem of bureaucracy in the public sector system. According to reports, many business have been frustrated with rigorous bureaucratic processes in registering their establishments at the AG’s Department.
As it stands now, Nana Addo’s assets declaration which is on of his ways of showing his transparency and accountability, will not take place at the moment due to the hitches experienced. The President has on his topmost priority, a fight against corruption, and would want to lead by the example of being transparent and accountable to the citizenry.
Owing to this development, it now remains unclear when the President would declare his assets in line with the constitution. Questions have been raised regarding possible actions to be taken against the leadership of the Department. On several occasions, public office holders have been criticized for disregarding the law on assets declaration. However situations such as these show that there’s very little importance attached to the exercise.
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