Five citizens have petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for action to be taken against all ministers and deputy ministers who have failed to declare their assets in accordance with Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution.

The five are Nicholas Opoku, Lolan Sagoe-Moses, Crystal Selorm Amudzi, Francis Boye, and Elias Ashkur.

They are asking CHRAJ to:

1. Open investigations into:

a. The failures of public officers to declare their assets; and

b. Whether the failure of the above-mentioned public officials to declare their assets amounts to a breach of the oaths of office, they swore to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution” as mandated by Article 286 (7) and the Second Schedule of the Constitution;

2. Take appropriate action against the defaulting public officers pursuant to CHRAJ’s mandate in Article 287 of the Constitution, including but not limited to:

a. Directing each of the defaulting public officers to promptly declare their assets to the Auditor-General; and

b. Initiating legal actions at the courts against the defaulting public officers to compel them to promptly declare their assets to the Auditor-General or have them sanctioned for default, pursuant to CHRAJ’s mandate under Section 9 of Act 456.

Article 286 of the Constitution and Section 1 of Act 550 place an obligation on public officers to submit a written declaration of all property or assets owned by, or liabilities owed by them, directly or indirectly, to the Auditor-General, (i) before taking office, (ii) at the end of every four years, and (iii) at the end of their term of office.