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By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave Lecturer at the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana, Dr. Abdul-Jalilu Ateku, has urged the government to implement a lifestyle audit for public officials after the Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, revealed multi-million-dollar properties linked to the former CEO of the Buffer Stock Company, Hanan Abdul-Wahab, amid a corruption clampdown. According to Dr. Ateku, “we should start considering a lifestyle audit of public officials due to the recent financial crimes witnessed in the country.” Speaking on GBC’s programme Current Agenda on Saturday, October 25, 2025, Dr. Ateku urged the government to necessitate the implementation of lifestyle audits to curb corruption and promote transparency. He emphasized that the current practice of requiring public officials to declare their assets is insufficient, as evidenced by the continued involvement of officials in corrupt activities. “We still hear of public officials partaking in such crimes despite being required to declare their assets,” Ateku stated. He further cited examples from other jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, which introduced the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) in 2002, enabling the detection of properties purchased with proceeds from looting state resources. Dr. Ateku urged the government to follow suit and implement a similar framework to ensure that public officials are held accountable for their actions. The implementation of lifestyle audits, according to Dr. Ateku, would therefore require public officials to provide detailed information about their income, assets, and expenditure. This information would then be verified to identify any discrepancies that may indicate corruption or illicit activities. This follows the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, disclosing that former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab, has allegedly acquired high-value properties using proceeds of crime. The illegally acquired properties include: A five-bedroom house at Chain Homes, valued at $1.625 million. A three-bedroom house at Cantonments, purchased for $600,000. Multiple plots of land at Airport Development Area, worth $750,000. A 17-bedroom boutique hotel in Gumani, Tamale, acquired for $250,000. A four-bedroom bungalow at Dzorwulu, Accra, valued at over GHS 4.14 million. A 0.32-acre parcel of government land, purchased for GHS 307,200.
