Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante, Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has urged President John Dramani Mahama to extend his focus beyond the recently launched Code of Conduct for appointees and prioritize broader reforms in public sector ethics and accountability.
In an interview on Citi FM’s Breakfast Show on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 — a day after the Code’s launch — Dr. Asante welcomed the initiative as a step forward in tackling corruption.
However, he emphasized that it falls short of addressing deeper, systemic ethical issues within Ghana’s public and civil service sectors.
“There’s a lot more the president should be doing to promote public ethics, which we’re currently not enforcing,” he remarked.
Dr. Asante referenced Article 284 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which prohibits public officials from engaging in conflicts of interest, as a critical legal basis for strengthening ethical standards in governance.
He also pointed to the ongoing constitutional review process as an opportunity to reinforce these principles, noting that, “There are gaps that the current Code of Conduct does not address.”
Additionally, he highlighted the Public Financial Management Act, which mandates financial accountability from public officials, stressing the importance of transparency.
“It’s a good law, but it must be made public so that citizens can hold public officers to account.”
