The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Addah, has expressed concern over the limited applicability of President John Mahama’s newly launched Code of Conduct for public office holders, stating that the document cannot be enforced across successive governments.
Speaking on Channel One TV on Wednesday, May 7, Addah described the initiative as commendable but ultimately insufficient in addressing Ghana’s broader anti-corruption challenges.
According to her, the absence of legislative backing for the long-awaited Conduct of Public Officers Bill weakens the potential impact of the code.
“For us, the missed opportunities—talking about asset declaration, talking about conflict of interest and others—without talking about the COPO Bill, thus the Conduct of Public Officers Bill, was a big missed opportunity for us in the anti-corruption space,” Addah stated.
She acknowledged the value of the Code of Conduct as a personal commitment by Mahama to promote ethical governance among his appointees, but emphasised that, without legal force, its enforcement is limited to the confines of one administration.
“Today, the president has launched what he calls the Conduct of Public Officers, a fantastic document, but then it cannot be implemented across regimes because it is the president’s pledge to the people of Ghana, focusing on the people who work with him,” she added.
The COPO Bill, which has been pending for several years, is seen by many in civil society as a critical piece of legislation needed to institutionalise ethical standards and accountability mechanisms for public officers, beyond political pledges.
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