Vol. 7, No. 3: Enhancing The Credibility of The Public Office Holders Asset Declaration Regime
01 June, 2005
The need for an effective asset declaration regime: A credible and effective asset declaration regime is an essential component of the ensemble of rules and structures necessary for democratic governance. It helps to:
? Prevent abuse of power by holders of public office
? Protect public assets and the public interest
? Deter public corruption
? Promote the integrity of public officials
? Foster public accountability and trust as well as
governmental legitimacy.
A credible asset declaration regime is also good for public
officials. It helps to:
? Protect the private assets of public officials from
wrongful and extra-legal confiscation
? Protect public officials from undue suspicion,
baseless allegations of wrongdoing, and all manner of calumny