Nicholas Gborse, a governance expert in the Volta Region, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to dismiss appointees who have failed to declare their assets within the stipulated period.
According to him, the failure of some appointees to comply with the directive is a clear sign of disrespect and disobedience to the President’s authority.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Sunday, May 4, Gborse expressed surprise that some appointees could find it difficult to declare their assets.
He questioned whether this was due to ignorance of their assets or a deliberate refusal to obey the President’s directive, an action he believes signals an attempt to hide something important from the public.
“The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has numerous competent individuals who could hold similar positions,” he said. “Those who do not want to obey the President should be allowed to leave for others to replace them.”
Gborse urged President Mahama to give the non-compliant appointees a grace period of two to three weeks to fulfil the directive. He added that any further refusal should lead to their immediate dismissal and replacement.
He cautioned that the continued disobedience of prominent officials could be weaponised by opposition parties in the upcoming general elections.
He therefore called for swift and decisive action by the party to prevent any potential electoral setbacks.
According to him, the call for accountability underscores the importance of transparency and obedience in government appointments. He stressed that the President must take a firm stand against disobedient appointees to demonstrate his commitment to good governance.
“The President’s directive for appointees to declare their assets was issued in January, with a deadline set for the end of March. All appointees should have adhered to the directive and met the deadline,” he noted.
Gborse emphasised that the party’s reputation could be significantly affected if those who flout directives are not held accountable. He urged the appointees to act swiftly and show their dedication to transparency, accountability, and progressive governance.
He concluded that the way forward is clear: “President Mahama should give the appointees a final ultimatum to comply with the directive. If they fail to do so, they should be dismissed and replaced with competent individuals who will obey the President’s directives.”
Meanwhile, information gathered by the Ghana News Agency reveals that several government appointees, including Nathan Kofi Boakye, Director of Operations at the Presidency; Seth Emmanuel Terkper, Presidential Adviser on the Economy, Naana Yaa Jantuah, Presidential Staffer, and Charles Kipo, Director-General of the National Investigations Bureau, among others, have defaulted on the directive.
