President John Dramani Mahama is set to formally launch a comprehensive Code of Conduct and Ethics for public office holders, government officials, politically exposed persons, and their close associates.
The initiative, announced by Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Special Aide and Advisor to the President, marks a pivotal moment in the new administration’s ongoing efforts to fight corruption and build a values-driven government.
According to Bawah Mogtari, who shared her reflections on the President’s first 120 days in office, this new framework is not merely symbolic.
For her, it is a structural and moral commitment to sever the historical link between public office and personal gain.
With President Mahama securing 57% of the popular vote—a decisive and historic mandate, Bawah Mogtari noted that the administration views this as both a responsibility and an opportunity to reset the governance architecture in Ghana.
“But how do we sustain this trust and build a future where public service truly means serving the public and not private interests? Today, President Mahama takes a bold step forward.
“He will formally launch the Code of Conduct and Ethics which is a framework that will be binding on all public office holders, government officials, politically exposed persons and their close associates.”
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Special Aide and Advisor to President John Dramani Mahama
Explaining the significance of the move, Bawah Mogtari underscored that the primary focus is a “ban on the acquisition of state assets” by political appointees and their close associates.
By introducing clear enforcement mechanisms and transparency protocols, the Special Aide to President Mahama noted that the administration hopes to establish a new normal—one where conflicts of interest are not rationalised but prevented by law and ethics.
The code will bind all senior public officials, cutting across the executive branch, and is designed to send what Bawah Mogtari described as a “clear and unambiguous message” that the Mahama-led government will not tiptoe around corruption.
She emphasized that public office is a sacred trust, not a fast track to wealth—a sentiment many Ghanaians have long demanded be reflected in policy and practice.
The announcement also speaks to the historical context of state capture and elite enrichment that has plagued Ghana’s governance across successive administrations.
“From the First Republic to the present day, there has been a disturbing pattern of political elites acquiring state properties from land, buildings, machinery, vehicles and others, often at giveaway prices”.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Special Aide and Advisor to President John Dramani Mahama
The justification for these transactions is often wrapped in technicalities about “due process”, but Bawah Mogtari pointedly asked, “Is due process truly due when the process is shaped by those who stand to benefit?”
NPP’s Rampant Assets Appropriation
She did not mince words about the rampant asset appropriation under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, characterising it as a period when “the plundering of national assets reached unprecedented levels.”
According to her, it is this legacy of blatant state capture that the new code seeks to correct.
For Bawah Mogtari, the Mahama administration’s commitment to tackling this head-on was signalled even before it returned to power.
While in opposition, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) pledged two significant interventions: Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL)—an initiative to trace and reclaim illegally acquired state assets—and a new legislative ban on politically exposed persons acquiring state property.
While ORAL is already underway, Bawah Mogtari described the new code as the “missing piece” in this broader anti-corruption strategy.
“The people of Ghana placed their hope and trust in the NDC to be different, not to simply manage the status quo, but to reset the system. This policy is not just about good governance.”
Joyce Bawah Mogtari Esq, Special Aide and Advisor to President John Dramani Mahama
Beyond its legal implications, the launch of the Code of Conduct and Ethics in the strongest view of Bawah Mogtari represents a decisive moral turn in Ghanaian politics.
For her, it reflects the administration’s belief that leadership must be anchored in service, and that state resources should be used to uplift citizens, not enrich elites.
For many Ghanaians frustrated by years of impunity and patronage, the policy may signal a long-awaited shift in the culture of public service.
The launch also provides an early opportunity for the Mahama administration to distinguish itself from the status quo.
In an environment where public trust in government is increasingly fragile, bold reforms such as this one could serve to rebuild confidence and reassert the relevance of public institutions.
By introducing this framework at the outset of its new term, the Mahama government is not only setting expectations for its own officials but laying a foundation that could reshape Ghana’s governance architecture for years to come.
Bawah Mogtari ended her statement with a rallying call to the public: “We have the power to build a country where leadership means service. This is our moment. Let’s build the Ghana we want together.”
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