Thirty-six Ministers and deputy Ministers of state have, since assuming office in January, this year, declared their assets and liabilities to the Auditor-General, as required by law. About 30 others have collected their assets declaration forms, and are yet to submit them to the Auditor-General.

The Ministers who have not yet collected their assets declaration forms are those sworn into office recently. The Secretary of the Audit Service Board, Mr Kwao Aidoo told the “Daily Graphic” that the assets declaration exercise with the Ministers and deputy Ministers has been very smooth so far.

The Ministers are reported to be calling at the offices of the Audit Service themselves to pick the forms after which they returned them within a short time. According to Dr. Aidoo, the Ministers who have not yet declared their assets have a period of six months from the time they took office to do so.

Newly appointed District Chief Executives (DCEs) and Presiding Members of the District Assemblies, also have six months to declare their assests. Mr Aidoo also noted that majority of the former Ministers of state under the NDC administration declared their assets while in office and just before leaving office.

“At least 40 of them submitted their assets declaration forms to the Auditor-General at the time they were leaving office”, he said. The Audit-Service Board Secretary said a large number of other public office holders have also declared their assets, and cited the Judicial Service as an outstanding public service institution whose office holders declare their assets consistently and willingly.

According to him, about 300 office holders of the Judicial Service nationwide, comprising judges of the various courts, registrars and other key officials, have submitted their assets declaration forms to the Auditor-General.

The Public Office Holders Declaration of Assets and Disqualification Act states that a person who holds a public office shall submit to the Auditor-General a written declaration of all properties or assets and liabilities owned by him or her, directly or indirectly, before taking office and at the end of his or her term of office, “not later than six months of the occurrence of any of the events specified”.