Former Auditor-General and current chair of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) board, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, has called for the introduction of a Public Office Holders Conduct Bill as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s fight against corruption.
Speaking on Kro Yi Mu Nsem, a current affairs programme on Nhyria FM, Mr Domelevo said corruption among public officials remained a major concern, citing cases where individuals accumulate significant wealth shortly after assuming public office.
He said it was not uncommon for long-known acquaintances to enter government and, within months, acquire assets that raise questions about their sources of income.
Under the proposed legislation, Mr Domelevo explained, public office holders would be required to submit annual declarations of their assets to the Auditor-General. These declarations would then be examined and published, allowing the public to assess whether the assets were legitimately acquired.
He said such a law would establish a formal framework for transparency and accountability, empowering the Auditor-General to investigate unexplained wealth and deter misconduct.
Mr Domelevo also criticised what he described as “family-and-friends” governance, warning that allowing close relatives to serve simultaneously in government increases the risk of abuse.
He argued that public funds belong to taxpayers and should not be controlled by a small group connected by family ties, pointing to international institutions such as the World Bank, where nepotism is prohibited.
According to him, safeguards should be put in place to prevent close relatives of a sitting president from holding government positions as part of broader reforms to protect public resources.