The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), is
kicking against the Electoral Commission’s demand for presidential and
parliamentary nominees to declare their assets with the Auditor General to make
them eligible to contest the December elections. The EC in a statement
signed by its Head of Communications, Eric Kofi Dzakpasu, asked candidates to
take note of the requirement to declare their assets to the Auditor-General in
order to meet the eligibility criteria.
But speaking on Eyewitness
News, the acting General Secretary of the NPP, Mr. John Boadu, said
although the NPP’s candidate will readily declare his assets, the law as it
stands, only binds those already holding public office, and not those seeking to
be office.
“ I think the EC got it wrong. The law under which they are
quoting ; that one needs to declare his assets has even been
repealed.
There is nothing like that. …” He insisted that those who hold
positions in the public service are rather expected to declare their assets
under the law.
“If you go through the law, you will realize that it is
talking about a person who holds a public office. He wondered why nominees from
the various parties had been asked to declare their assets when the Auditor
General only limits the declaration of assets to public officers.
“If you
even go to the Auditor General, the forms that will be given to you, it states
clearly that which appointment do you occupy; so if you are not already a public
officer what are you going to write there? It clearly asks you which position
you are occupying, based on which you are declaring your assets.
I think
the directive to declare assets was done in a rush and it’s a mistake. The
Electoral Commission should quickly withdraw that communique.”
But the
Head of Communication at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu in a rebuttal, insisted that the
directive for nominees to declare their assets is backed by law, saying “ we
have a statutory declaration on the nomination forms which is backed by CI 94.
The statutory declaration is backed by regulation 8 of CI 94,” he
insisted. The EC directive comes shortly before its deadline on September 30,
for the filing of nominations by nominees.
Mr. John Boadu says although
Nana Addo doesn’t have with him the declared assets forms, he will go ahead to
submit his forms today [Thursday], September 29, as planned. |
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