South Dayi MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor has urged Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng to reconsider his opposition to the public disclosure of assets declared by public officials.
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Appearing on TV3’s KeyPoints program on Saturday, Mr. Dafeamekpor argued that Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution implicitly supports the public publication of declared assets.
His comment follows a recent statement by Mr. Agyebeng, who expressed strong reservations about the idea.
“I do not and will not support the publication of assets for public scrutiny. It could expose public officers to unnecessary attention and the risk of reprisal attacks,” the Special Prosecutor said during a high-level anti-corruption conference on June 6.
In direct response, Mr. Dafeamekpor said Mr. Agyebeng had missed the mark.
“Kissi got it absolutely wrong. As Special Prosecutor, he should be the first advocate for publication. The Constitution mandates asset declaration; how can we be denied knowledge of the nature of those assets?”
He emphasized that the very term “declaration” implies openness, not secrecy.
“You cannot declare and hide. Declaration means making it known. If it’s locked away, it defeats the purpose of transparency.”
Mr. Dafeamekpor also criticized Parliament’s own shortcomings, admitting that legislators have yet to enact supporting legislation to fully implement Article 286.
“Parliament has failed to pass laws that give full effect to this provision. That’s why there’s blame. But we’re working on it. There’s a Private Members’ Bill, although the government says it is preparing a broader bill covering both assets and liabilities.”
The lawmaker urged Mr. Agyebeng to interpret the Constitution as a cohesive document rooted in transparency and accountability.
“One of the first things you learn in law school is that the Constitution must be read as a whole. Its foundation is public accountability. Even if implementation is challenging, the principle stands.”
