Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng opposes calls for public asset disclosures by officials, arguing such measures would be counterproductive and endanger public servants.
Speaking at the African Union Anti-Corruption Conference, Agyebeng stated: “I do not and will not add my voice to calls for publication of assets for public scrutiny.
In our experience, it would subject officers to inordinate public curiosity and real likelihood of asset reprisals.”
Instead, Agyebeng advocated strengthening verification systems. “Publication of who declared assets within a workable verification model would sufficiently assure system integrity,” he told attendees. His position emerges amid Ghana’s transparency debates regarding politically exposed persons’ wealth.
While supporting accountability measures like lifestyle audits and non-conviction asset recovery, Agyebeng warned public declarations create unnecessary risks without significantly curbing corruption. He emphasized that “corruption begins where values collapse,” urging integrity education from early schooling.
The stance reflects balancing transparency demands against protection mechanisms in anti-corruption frameworks across developing governance systems.
