A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including OccupyGhana, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), and the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has expressed  disappointment over Cabinet's continued reluctance to approve the 2022 Conduct of Public Officers (CoPO) Bill for enactment.

The groups are calling on Cabinet to act swiftly and pass the Bill to Parliament, underscoring the urgency of enhancing accountability and transparency in public office.

In a joint statement, the CSOs rejected Cabinet's claim that: "There are already adequate provisions in existing laws to deal with the conduct of public officers."

They argued that this assertion contradicts earlier findings by the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, which highlighted that existing laws were inadequate to ensure accountability and prevent corruption among public officers.

The CSOs noted that the CoPO Bill, first introduced in 2008, and re-laid in Parliament in 2015 and 2020, has faced repeated delays in its passage despite numerous assurances from top government officials, including the Vice President and the Attorney-General.

"The non-passage of any CoPO Bill since 2013 suggests a lack of commitment from both the government and Parliament to tackle the rising cases of corruption," the statement noted.

They stressed that the 2022 CoPO Bill contains crucial reforms, particularly concerning asset declarations, conflict of interest, and codes of conduct for public officials. It would also rectify unconstitutional practices where appointed public officials are allowed to declare assets three months after assuming office instead of before, as mandated by the Constitution.

“We are convinced that the recent issues concerning public officials and unexplained wealth would have been resolved if the 2022 CoPO Bill had been enacted. This delay is inexplicably shocking,” the CSOs stated.

They further noted that while similar legislation exists in other jurisdictions, like the United States and Kenya, Ghanaian officials have merely "paid lip service" to their constitutional obligation to combat corruption.

The statement also referenced a 2022 Afrobarometer survey, which showed that 77 per cent of Ghanaians believe corruption levels have increased, and 69 per cent of citizens perceive widespread corruption in public institutions, though many fear retaliation for reporting it.

The CSOs therefore urged Ghanaians, other civil society organisations, and the media to join their campaign to press for the Bill's swift passage.

“As Dr. Bawumia said in 2019, the CoPO is “one law that can help build integrity in the Public Service, and we cannot afford to delay it any further,”” the coalition reiterated.

They also called for immediate action from Cabinet and Parliament to enact the Bill and set the foundation for a more transparent and accountable public sector, in line with the 1992 Constitution's mandate to eradicate corruption and abuse of power.