Former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo has criticized the widespread non-compliance with asset declaration laws among public officials, singling out members of the judiciary for breaching constitutional requirements.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, February 18, he lamented the entrenched culture of corruption and the failure of key institutions to lead by example.
When asked about his experiences enforcing asset declaration laws, Domelevo revealed shocking non-compliance within the judiciary itself.
“Yes, I did have some interesting encounters. In fact, when we started, it was clear that even the judiciary, which we thought should be at the forefront of law enforcement, didn’t declare,” he disclosed.
“In fact, including Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, the former Chief Justice, justices of the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court—several of them were not declaring.”
He expressed disappointment in oversight bodies for failing to hold the judiciary accountable.
“When people complained or petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), I was completely disappointed when it just said that, well, there are no punishments prescribed in any law for them or that Act 550 does not prescribe any punishment. So go and sin no more.”
Domelevo challenged the logic of allowing public officials to assume office without fulfilling constitutional obligations.
“I thought that if the Constitution says you should do something before you can enter office or assume office, and you didn’t do that before coming to office, you are occupying the office unconstitutionally,” he argued.
Drawing a comparison with presidential inaugurations, he asked, *”For instance, could President Mahama just wake up on January 7, 2025, and say, ‘I’ve been voted for as president, so I’m going to start as president. I don’t want swearing-in?’ No, it cannot happen.
“But how come that we judiciously comply with those requirements, even including the swearing-in of ministers, but then asset declaration, which is supposed to be done by the same Constitution, is neglected?”
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