'We love gifts too much' - Domelevo condemns public officers over greed and gift culture

Former Auditor-General Daniel Yao Domelevo has criticized the focus on gifts in public office.

He believes public officers should live within their means, not from gifts.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express with Evans Mensah, he rejected the new gift policy. He called the ¢20,000 gift threshold “a no no.”

Domelevo stated, “We seem to like gifts too much.” He emphasized that public employees are paid salaries to live on.

He argued that setting a monetary limit for gifts creates loopholes. This encourages unethical behavior under technicalities.

“Creating these windows and putting an amount of ¢20,000 as a limit is a no no,” he said. He referenced his experience at the World Bank where the threshold was $50.

“If you receive any gift above that, you surrender it,” he added. Gifts below $50 could be kept.

Domelevo insisted Ghana must align its ethics with international standards. Keeping thresholds low can help avoid normalizing influence-peddling in government.

While he acknowledged some positive aspects of the new code of conduct, he raised concerns about enforceability.

He suggested that good parts should be added to the Code of Conduct Bill and passed into law. This would ensure rules remain effective beyond Mahama’s administration.

“If not legislated, every new government could discard these rules,” he warned. He stressed that consistency is crucial for guiding public office holders.

Domelevo also expressed concern about asset declaration requirements in the code. He highlighted the high threshold for declaring luxury items like jewelry.

“The minimum for jewelry is ¢5 million,” he noted. “That is a lot! I don’t even know if my house is worth that.”

He argued this threshold is inconsistent with Ghana’s legal framework and needs correction.

“It does not align with Act 550,” he stated, calling for a review to ensure compliance with existing laws.

Domelevo's comments contribute to ongoing national discussions about integrity in public office.