IEA backs lifestyle audits and reverse burden of proof for officials
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has backed proposals to introduce lifestyle and wealth audits for public officials to detect unjustified enrichment and combat corruption. The organization called for these mechanisms to be enshrined in the 1992 Constitution rather than limited to ordinary legislation, MyJoyOnline reports.
Committee proposals
The Constitutional Review Committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, proposed strengthening Article 286(4) by creating mechanisms to investigate unjustified increases in the wealth of public officials.
The recommendations include lifestyle and wealth audits, stricter deadlines for submitting asset declarations, and a reverse burden of proof with appropriate safeguards. Under this approach, an official may be required to explain the lawful origin of assets or wealth disproportionate to their known income.
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IEA position
In a statement on constitutional reform released on September 2, 2026, the IEA said that embedding the requirements in the Constitution would make them stronger and harder to weaken. At the same time, according to the publication, the government prefers to implement these proposals through legislation.
The institute said that strengthening the asset declaration system should increase accountability and create more timely grounds for detecting possible illicit enrichment by officials. The proposals are part of the process of amending the 1992 Constitution after the government considers the recommendations of the Prempeh Committee.
