Legal luminary Clara Kowlaga Kasser-Tee, is of the view that Parliament’s legislation of lifestyle audit for individuals suspected of amassing unexplained wealth will not help fight corruption.
She believes that the truly corrupt people are smarter and will always beat the system.
To her, such persons will certainly resort to the use of sophisticated structuring that will legally conceal ownership.
Adding that they will rather hoard proceeds in offshore accounts rather than keep it in the country and live lavishly.
She believes that this law being drafted by Parliament is a bad idea because “There will be more capital flight, and other economies will benefit at the expense of the Ghanaian economy. This is not how to fight corruption”.
Making this known in a post shared via social media, she said, “This may have a persecution effect, and give a populist impression of fighting corruption, but no, it will not fight corruption. I repeat, it will not fight corruptuon. The truly corrupt are smarter than that.
Where do you think the truly corrupt will keep their loot? In Ghana? Do you know how many offshore banks will gladly receive the loot, and keep ‘confidentiality? Do you know sophisticated structuring that will legally conceal ownership? Lets keep.targeting small fishes, just as we have been doing with plaintain thieves.
Until someone complained that so much dollars was stolen from their room, who suspected they had that much ? Did you see them in overly flamboyant lives?
This law is a bad idea. There will be more capital flight, and other economies will beneft at the expense of the Ghanaian economy. This is not how to fight corruption”.
Background
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has announced that Parliament is set to begin drafting legislation to support lifestyle audits for individuals suspected of amassing unexplained wealth, marking a significant step toward enhancing Ghana’s fight against corruption.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, June 9, Speaker Bagbin stated that the proposed bill will empower state institutions to investigate the lifestyles of public officials, politically exposed persons, and private individuals whose standard of living does not correlate with their known sources of income.
“I am, to this end, receiving a lot of input to process legislation on lifestyle audits,” the Speaker stated.
“I’m happy to hear OSP also included it in their statement. We will legislate and stop this impunity of people flaunting ill-gotten wealth in the face of poor Ghanaians.”
He added that the move has gained traction among senior members of government and civil society, including the Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who also recently expressed support for such reforms.
The post “This law is a bad idea” – Clara Kasser-Tee on Bill to back lifestyle audit. appeared first on MyNewsGh.
