President John Dramani Mahama has directed all government appointees to declare their assets by March 31, 2025, or risk losing their positions.
Speaking at a brief ceremony at Jubilee House on February 18, 2025, where he submitted his own asset declaration forms to the Auditor-General, the President made it clear that his administration would not tolerate non-compliance.
“I have always maintained that while punishing corruption is necessary, preventing it is even more effective.
The declaration of assets is an important tool in this fight, and I expect every appointee to comply,” he said.
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He added that many public officials may not even realise they are legally required to declare their assets and urged the Auditor-General to remind them of their obligations under Article 286(1) of the 1992 Constitution and the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550). These laws mandate asset declarations upon assuming office, every four years, and at the end of a public official’s tenure.
The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, later confirmed the March 31 deadline, stating that all appointees had been given ample time to complete the process.
Ghana’s asset declaration system has often been criticised for lacking transparency.
President Mahama acknowledged these concerns and called for reforms, including making the declarations public to prevent the accumulation of unexplained wealth.
“I have chosen to submit my declaration publicly to bring more openness into the process,” he said. “If properly enforced, this can be a strong deterrent to corruption.”
