Ghana’s Chief Accounting Officer and the Chief advisor to the Minister of Finance and Government in matters relating to accountability, Mr Kwasi Kwaning Bosompem, has picked the nomination form to contest the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primaries in the Akyem Swedru Constituency.
Mr Kwaning Bosompem after picking his nomination at the party office in the Akyem Swedru Constituency on Wednesday, December 20 2023, formally declared his intention to become the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary candidate in the 2024 general elections.
It is noteworthy that Mr Kwaning Bosompem has not resigned from his position as the Controller and Accountant General despite his decision to contest for the New Patriotic Party parliamentary primaries in the Akyem Swedru Constituency.
This development has received a high level of public uproar with some sections of the public including the Minority Caucus in Parliament calling for Mr Kwaning Bosompem’s resignation as the head of the Controller and Accountant General Department.
Martin Kpebu, a Private Legal Practitioner and Social Activist has joined the Minority Caucus in Parliament’s calls for the Controller and Accountant General to resign.
Lawyer Martin Kpebu argued that Article 94(3) of Ghana’s constitution stipulates that certain officeholders are ineligible to run for office as Members of Parliament, including those employed by the Police, Prisons, Armed Forces, Judicial, Legal, Civil, and Audit services.
In this regard, Lawyer Martin Kpebu strongly asserted that in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, Mr. Kwaning-Bosompem must step down.
“The CLOGSSAG case actually says that if a civil servant becomes overt in his political affiliation, then he has to resign. It is not just about nomination alone. Let me read a part, apart from talking about the nomination, this is what it says;
“Upon a true and proper interpretation of the constitution, a member of the civil service or local government service does not have the right to remain a member of a civil service or local government service after his or her nomination by the political party or otherwise to contest for election as a Member of Parliament. Moreover, such a person shall resign from his or her office, immediately after his or her political activities become overt”.
Lawyer Martin Kpebu
Lawyer Martin Kpebu further explained that the 1992 Constitution of Ghana explicitly defines overt activities as those that occur when someone openly declares their desire to run for office and starts campaigning before political party primaries.
Moreover, it is a universal fact that public officials are expected to carry out their duties impartially and without bias. This is to ensure that there is public confidence in the neutrality and professionalism of government institutions, especially those involved in financial matters.
The public servants in Ghana, including the Controller and Accountant General, are generally expected to be politically neutral and not actively engage in partisan politics. Here, the principle of political neutrality is important to maintain the integrity and impartiality of public institutions, particularly those involved in financial management and oversight in the country.
Additionally, the laws and several regulations in the country prescribe that public servants should refrain from active participation in partisan politics. The Civil Service Act and other relevant laws in the country offer various guidelines on the conduct of public officials in this regard.
One cannot but agree with Lawyer Martin Kpebu and the Minority Caucus in Parliament that Mr Kwaning Bosompem’s decision to engage in active partisan politics while remaining in office as government chief accountant can be considered a conflict of interest.
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