Co-Chair of the Citizens’ Movement Against Corruption, Edem Senanu, has called for restraint in discussions around conflict of interest.
He warned against the misuse of technical terms in political debates.
Mr. Senanu explained that while concerns about transparency and fairness are valid, they should not be confused with legally defined conflict of interest.
“There may be legitimate concerns about transparency, but that is not the same as conflict of interest,” he stated.
Mr Senanu was contributing to discussions on whether or not President John Mahama’s us of his brother’s private jet amounted to conflict of interest.
He cautioned that the growing tendency to “weaponise” technical concepts such as conflict of interest could lead to confusion and weaken public understanding of governance issues.
“Conflict of interest is not a vague concept. It has a clear definition,” he said.
According to him, a conflict of interest only exists when a public official’s personal interest directly compromises or impairs their public duty or decision-making.
“The key test is whether a public function has been compromised by a personal interest,” he explained.
Mr. Senanu noted that, based on current claims, there has been no clear demonstration that any public decision has been influenced or compromised.
“They must show which specific public function has been affected. Without that, the argument remains incomplete,” he added.
However, he acknowledged that concerns about apparent conflict of interest are valid and should not be dismissed outright.
“Apparent conflict may exist. It creates perception, and that is enough reason to investigate,” he said.
He emphasised that such concerns should be addressed through proper inquiry rather than assumptions.
“Apparent conflict is not a crime. It is a signal for scrutiny, not a conclusion of wrongdoing,” he clarified.
Mr. Senanu further urged caution in public commentary, noting that decisions made by public officials, especially at the highest level, may involve factors not immediately visible to the public.
“There may be considerations, including security and other factors, that are not always in the public domain,” he noted.
He concluded that the appropriate path forward is structured investigation and evidence-based assessment, rather than political accusations.
By Christabel Success Treve
