Approximately fifty-five present government staffers and appointees have disregarded President John Dramani Mahama‘s stringent order to declare their assets by March 31st.
In accordance with Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution and the Public Office Holders (disclosure of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550), President Mahama turned in his own asset disclosure form to the Auditor-General on February 18, 2025.
The President told all appointees to declare their assets by the end of the first quarter or risk severe penalties during a solemn event at Jubilee House. President Mahama emphasised in his speech:
The Chief of Staff has been directed by me to make sure that all appointees declare their assets by March 31, 2025, the end of this year’s first quarter. I want to emphasise that any appointee who misses this deadline will be subject to harsh consequences, which may include termination from their position.
However, as of mid-April, more than a month after the deadline, a number of these appointments had not yet complied with the mandate, according to a recent report put together by The Fourth Estate.
According to the report, eight of the 55 ministers and deputy ministers have not filed their asset declarations.
Furthermore, as of April 17, 38 out of 84 heads of state institutions and 8 out of 32 presidential staffers who were appointed between January 15 and March 18, 2025, had also failed to comply with the President’s anti-corruption directive.
Prominent figures on the list of defaulters include:
- Seth Terkper, Presidential Adviser on the Economy
- Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, Special Envoy to the Alliance of Sahelian States
- Nathan Kofi Boakye, Director of Operations at the Presidency
- Charles Kipo, Director of the National Investigations Bureau
- Nana Yaa Jantuah, Presidential Staffer
- Alhassan Suhuyini, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways
- Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, Deputy Minister for Works and Housing
- John Dumelo, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture
The constitutional need is plain. Article 286(1) of the 1992 Constitution states:
A person who holds a public post described in clause (5) of this Article shall submit to the Auditor-General a written declaration of all property or assets possessed by, or obligations due by, him, whether directly or indirectly.
