A former Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, has expressed concern about the high incidence of conflict of interest among Ghanaian public officials.
This follows the Airbus scandal, where Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng identified former President John Dramani Mahama as “Government Official 1” but said there was no evidence of corruption against him in a deal facilitated by his brother, Foster Adams Mahama.
The United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office had previously fined Airbus SE €3.9 billion for bribery in aircraft sales to 13 countries, including Ghana.
Daniel Domelevo, speaking to Citi News, attributed the frequency of conflict of interest cases in Ghana to delays in passing the Conduct of Public Officeholders Bill.
Mr. Domelevo identified politicians as the major perpetrators of conflict of interest hence their lack of commitment to pass the bill.
“I believe that the reason that bill is not going through is because the people who are supposed to facilitate that bill know that they are the highest or the biggest culprits.
“They have been involved in several issues of conflict of interest, family and friends, business, et cetera which that bill is aimed at addressing.
“So if we are serious with ensuring that public officers do the right thing, that Conduct of Public Office Holders’ bill must be passed.”
