A senior political lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science (KNUST), Clement Adu Acheampong, has stated that the decision by President John Dramani Mahama in making appointees who have not declared their assets forfeit their three months’ salary was not deterrent enough.
He argued that the punishment for the defaulting appointees should have been severe in order to send a clear message that President Mahama meant business.
All government appointees who have failed to declare their assets by the March 31, 2025, deadline issued by President John Dramani Mahama are to forfeit three months of their salary, the President directed on the day he launched the Code of Conduct for public officials.
That money is to be donated to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, which was launched last week by the president.
The requirement for asset declaration obligations is rooted in Article 286 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The law mandates public officeholders to declare their assets and liabilities both upon assuming office and when leaving.
Commenting on the development, the lecturer said the president should have sacked those who failed to meet the deadline.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he stated that while it was too early to evaluate the president’s performance, he had chalked some positives.
”He pledged to implement the Code of Conduct, which is in order. However, the Code of Conduct must be enforceable. He instructed his appointees to declare their assets within a specified timeframe. Although the constitution clearly stipulates that appointees must declare their assets prior to assuming office, some had failed to comply. We were informed that he directed that they would forfeit their three months’ salary. I believe this measure demonstrated his commitment to taking decisive action. Nonetheless, the punishment should have been more severe, such as termination of appointment for one or two individuals. They were reminded to declare their assets but failed to comply, warranting their dismissal. Leadership demands strict adherence to standards. If you want to reset, avoid doing things the old way. There must be a paradigm shift, so the punishment must be immediate and severe. When dropping the hammer, make sure it hits the head and not the other side. While enforcing the Code of Conduct was a step in the right direction, its implementation must be more stringent.”
Meanwhile, he has stated that the president is struggling to deal with galamsey because of its negative impact on the environment and human life.
He said deporting foreign nationals involved in galamsey was a bad idea because they could easily return to Ghana through our porous borders.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
