Former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo says the slow pace of passing key anti-corruption laws continues to weaken the fight against graft, even as public perception may be showing signs of improvement under the Mahama administration.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, Mr Domelevo said the Corruption Perception Index could record gains, largely because there have been fewer public scandals over the past year.
“I don’t know what results we are going to get,” he said, but added, “My hope and expectation is that it should improve.”
He attributed that possibility to the relative quiet on corruption cases. “We have gone almost a year or a year into this new administration, not heard of scandals as there were in the past,” he said.
While cautioning that corruption may still be happening, he said perception matters. “I’m not saying they are not happening, but I’m saying we have not heard of them, so that may drive people’s perception.”
“If that is the case, I will not be surprised that the index will show with positive or show some improvement,” he added.
Mr Domelevo, however, said the real test lies in legal action, not perception. He said Ghana has failed to act on what he described as clear and necessary reforms.
“I wish that the low-hanging fruit that I talked about, the President has taken those seriously,” he said.
He pointed to the absence of a law targeting unexplained wealth.
“If we had passed a law by now to say that once we can establish beyond reasonable doubt that a public servant is owing or in possession of an asset which does not correspond with his or her earnings from the public service, until you can prove to us that there are other means of getting those assets you are guilty of it,” he said.
According to him, passing such a law would have sent a strong signal. “Then I think people now know that, yes, there is seriousness in those things,” he said.
Mr Domelevo said the asset declaration law remains stalled. “Asset declaration law has been on the table before I became Auditor General, and it is still there,” he said.
He also cited delays with the Conduct of Public Officers Bill. “We have the what they call conduct of public officer holders, Bill, which addresses a lot of this corruption and corruption-related issues. They are still so,” he said.
Beyond legislation, he criticised delays in the justice system. “If we pass those laws and bring finality to the trial of cases, we don’t allow it to stand for too long,” he said.
He argued that court processes must change. “The courtroom should not be used for three or four hours a day, and it is closed, and we go home and come back the next day,” he said.
Drawing from experience, he described the frustration of adjournments. “At times you go to court for less than 15 or 10 minutes, the case is adjourned to the next month or two,” he said.
He said swift trials would restore confidence. “If we can change all those things, and we know that, be it a galamsey or a corruption-related case within six months, you will have known your faith,” he said.
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