President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that the Conduct of Public Officers (CoPO) Bill will be passed before the end of his presidency.
Speaking at the Annual Ghana Bar Association Conference in Kumasi on September 9, President Akufo-Addo confirmed that the draft bill is progressing through legislative processes and will soon be presented to Parliament.
“The Conduct of Public Officers Bill has passed the scrutiny of the Cabinet Committee of Government and is now ready for presentation to the full Cabinet, after which it will be forwarded to Parliament. I am extremely hopeful that this will be accomplished before I leave office,” he stated.
His comments follow recent criticism from a coalition of CSOs, who expressed frustration over the Cabinet’s delay in approving the CoPO Bill for enactment. In a joint press release on September 4, the coalition criticized the Cabinet’s assertion that existing laws are sufficient, urging the government to expedite the bill’s approval and move it forward to Parliament.
In response, President Akufo-Addo reassured the CSOs that there is no cause for concern, emphasizing his commitment to overseeing the process personally. The CoPO Bill, pending since 2008, aims to reform asset and liability declarations, address conflicts of interest, and establish a code of conduct for public officials.
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