Osafo-Maafo’s views on open asset declaration heartening – Agyeman-Duah

Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah, a Governance Analyst, has expressed his appreciation for the advocacy of Senior Presidential Advisor Yaw Osafo-Maafo for greater transparency in the declaration of assets by public officials.

In Accra on Tuesday, Mr Osafo-Maafo called for more transparency in the declaration of assets by public officials, underlining its vital role in strengthening accountability within Ghana’s governance structure.

He noted that the current regulations require public officials, including state ministers and selected public sector staff, to declare their assets to the auditor general. However, he pointed out that the process’s lack of transparency impedes accountability.

Mr Osafo-Maafo expressed his dissatisfaction with the existing asset declaration framework, emphasising that the confidentiality maintained between the auditor general and individuals obstructs scrutiny and accountability.

In an Eyewitness News interview on Citi FM on Tuesday with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Prof Agyeman-Duah shared his excitement that the senior presidential advisor had such insights into the asset declaration.

“Frankly, I find it very heartening to know that Mr Osafo-Maafo has these views on the asset declaration. And it is a pleasure at least for me to know that during the formulation or the writing of the constitution on this very aspect that requires the assets to be declared, he stood tall trying to convince others to agree that section should be properly drafted to allow transparency in the declaration of assets.”

“So my initial comment is wow I never knew that he has these views. He has been in government for many years as we all know but I have never heard him talk publicly about these matters. So I find it very exciting that for the first time, we are getting insights into this particular section of the constitution,” he stated.