Sénégal: ministerial asset declarations spark transparency debate

The imperative of asset declaration once again serves as a crucial measure of credibility for the Senegalese executive branch. Reports emanating from Dakar indicate that several government ministers are currently non-compliant with this legally mandated obligation. This situation emerges despite transparency in personal wealth being a cornerstone commitment championed by the Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko leadership since their ascent to power in April 2024. The issue transcends mere administrative procedure, directly impacting the consistency of the official narrative.

The Senegalese framework, established by the 2014 law creating the National Office for the Fight Against Fraud and Corruption (OFNAC), compels a specific range of high-ranking public officials to submit a detailed inventory of their assets upon assuming office and again upon the cessation of their duties. This mandate applies to the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, heads of institutions, and credit administrators managing funds exceeding one billion CFA francs.

Strict legal requirements for asset disclosure

The legal text is unequivocally clear regarding the timeline. Subject individuals are granted a three-month period following their appointment to transmit their declaration to OFNAC. Beyond this deadline, their compliance status becomes legally questionable. According to information reported by the Senegalese press, several members of the government, following a reshuffle in autumn 2024, are presently in violation of these regulations.

This failure to comply is not a minor oversight. The law stipulates that in cases of non-submission, OFNAC must issue a formal notice to the delinquent party. Should this warning be ignored, the institution is empowered to refer the matter to the judiciary. Failure to declare assets can expose the individual to sanctions, including the suspension of salary and, where applicable, criminal prosecution. While designed as a deterrent, the actual effectiveness of this mechanism has frequently been debated.

A critical political test for the ruling administration

The stakes are particularly high given that the fight against illicit enrichment and the promotion of accountability were central tenets of Pastef’s victorious electoral campaign. The new administration has initiated various legal proceedings against former dignitaries of the Macky Sall regime, specifically leveraging the investigative tools of OFNAC and the financial prosecutor’s office. Consequently, any observed non-compliance within the current government would significantly undermine the moral authority claimed by the authorities.

OFNAC, led by a magistrate since its restructuring, theoretically possesses the necessary prerogatives to activate these procedures. The remaining question is the political will to see these processes through, especially in a context where successive institutional reports have consistently highlighted low compliance rates among mandated individuals, including during previous terms. The last public report indicated hundreds of awaited declarations, a significant portion of which had never been filed.

Asset transparency: a regional imperative

The ongoing debate in Sénégal is part of a broader West African trend. Côte d’Ivoire, Bénin, and Burkina Faso have all adopted similar provisions in recent years, driven by ECOWAS and African Union protocols aimed at preventing corruption. However, the performance of member states remains inconsistent, with practical implementation often hindered by administrative resistance and a lack of genuine public disclosure of declarations.

In Dakar, several civil society voices, including the Forum civil, the Senegalese chapter of Transparency International, have long advocated for the full publication of these declarations, mirroring models practiced in certain European democracies. This demand, however, conflicts with the principle of confidentiality enshrined in Senegalese law, which restricts access solely to authorized bodies and imposes criminal penalties for any unauthorized disclosure.

Nonetheless, the current situation presents the government with a straightforward challenge. Either the affected ministers promptly regularize their status, bringing a swift end to the incident, or OFNAC will activate its procedures, initiating a politically costly period for an administration that has championed exemplarity as a core principle. The credibility of the anti-corruption agenda hinges on how this signal is addressed. According to Seneweb, the implicated ministers now face formal notices from the institution.

Further reading

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