NEWS

Mahama Orders Officials to Declare Assets by March 31, 2025

Mahama Sets Deadline for Government Appointees to Declare Assets by March 31, 2025

President John Dramani Mahama has imposed a stringent deadline for all government personnel to declare their assets by March 31, 2025, in an effort to fight corruption and guarantee transparency in his administration. Those appointees will be immediately removed from their positions if they do not comply. In a brief ceremony at Jubilee House on February 18, 2025, President Mahama underlined the value of asset declaration as a crucial weapon in the battle against corruption. To demonstrate his dedication to openness, the President sent the Auditor-General his own asset declaration forms.

He emphasized that although it is important to penalize corrupt officials, proactive actions to avoid corruption are even more successful. In accordance with the Public Office Holders (Declaration of holdings and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550) and Article 286(1) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, Mahama urged appointees to acknowledge their legal duty to report their holdings. This law requires public officials to declare their assets before they take office, every four years, and at the end of their term. Julius Debrah, the Chief of Staff, affirmed the March 31 deadline and guaranteed that appointees would have enough time to complete their asset reporting responsibilities.

The public’s worries about Ghana’s asset declaration system’s lack of openness were also addressed by President Mahama. He advocated for changes to make asset declarations publicly available in order to address this, as he thinks it will serve as a strong disincentive to the amassing of illegal wealth. Mahama added that he made the decision to make his declaration public in an attempt to promote transparency throughout the procedure. This action is a component of Mahama’s larger plan to guarantee accountability and integrity in the government, making it quite evident that noncompliance will not be accepted under his leadership.