Law on asset declaration must be reviewed - Kwesi Pratt

The Managing Editor of Insight Newspaper, Mr Kwesi Pratt Junior on Saturday observed that ways of declaring assets in the country are not the best, hence, the law should be reviewed.

According to Pratt, there is a dispute over what was declared on the Finance Minister’s asset declaration form and what the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) claimed he did not

Since the asset declaration is secret, the citizenry is unable to participate in the discussion and therefore underscores the need to review assets declaration in the country in order to make it available to everyone.

“There is a dispute over what was on the asset declaration form of the Minister. This dispute should lead us somewhere. The minister claims that he did declare all his companies. Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) says he did not. How are we ordinary mortals (citizens) able to participate in this discussion yet we don’t have the asset declaration form? The declaration is a secret.I think that this calls for a review of asset declaration in this country” he suggested.

The astute journalist, Mr Pratt said this whilst commenting on the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta’s intention to drag CHRAJ to court over its handling of the conflict of interest petition in relation to the $2.25 billion bond issue during Radio Gold flagship Alhaji and Alhaji programme.

The bond controversy begun after the Minority called for a full-scale preliminary probe into how persons they referred to as close friends of the Finance Minister purchased 95 percent of the $2.25 billion bond issued in April 2017.

The Ashanti Regional NDC Youth Organizer, Mr Yaw Brongya Genfi subsequently petitioned CHRAJ to investigate the bond on the ground that the Minister attempted to promote a personal interest, and as well as friends and family.

The Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice ( CHRAJ) while clearing Ken Ofori Atta of any conflict of interest claims, it, however, stated the minister breached certain processes in the issuance of the bond and also failed to declare Data Bank as an asset to the Attorney General.

This compelled the Minority to ask the Finance Minister to resign else, they will invoke an article to do so.