Why OSP is against publishing asset declarations of public officials

Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has responded to calls for public asset declarations. He believes this could lead to “inordinate public curiosity” and security threats.

During a conference on Ghana’s Anti-Corruption Architecture, he stated, “I do not and I will not support the publication of assets for public scrutiny.”

He explained that such actions would expose public officials to unnecessary attention and potential reprisals.

Agyebeng suggested a more secure system focused on verification instead of public display. He emphasized the need for tracing undeclared assets rather than just collecting them.

He also highlighted that fighting corruption should start with education. Strong values must be instilled from basic to tertiary levels.

“Corruption begins where values collapse,” he said. Integrity should be integrated into the educational system.

While opposing public access to asset declarations, Agyebeng stressed the importance of internal mechanisms like lifestyle audits.

“We need a robust asset declaration mechanism for public officers,” he added. This would help combat illicit wealth and enhance accountability.