Code of Conduct, Public Misdemeanours

President John Dramani Mahama launched a Code of Conduct and Ethics for all political appointees on May 5, 2025.

The Code, it is claimed, represents a ‘significant step towards enhanced transparency, accountability, and ethical governance’.

It fulfils a promise that Mr Mahama made during the 2024 general election campaign, an important component of his 120-day Social Contract with the Ghanaian people.

The Code applies to executive branch officials, including the President, Vice-President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Presidential Staffers.

The Code is said to represent ‘core principles’ of a new – and different – political culture grounded in transparency, humility and ethical leadership.

All political appointees must adhere to the following: Serve the public with integrity and impartiality; Place the national interest above personal interests; Avoid misuse of office or state resources; Declare and manage any potential conflicts of interest; Eschew opulence and be accountable for the use of public funds; and Demonstrate humility in service, measured language, and respect for citizens.

What we might call the ‘Sammy Gyamfi affair’ surfaced a few days after the President’s announcement. Mr Gyamfi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and the National Democratic Congress National Communications Officer, was captured on film in a ‘private act of kindness that unexpectedly surfaced in the public domain’.

In a recent, apparently authentic, video, Mr Gyamfi gave a former fetish priestess turned evangelist, Patricia Oduro Koranteng, widely known as Nana Agradaa, a large sum in US dollars.

Critics

Critics, notably the minority party in parliament, the New Patriotic Party, are calling for Mr Gyamfi to resign, claiming that his ‘private act of kindness’ indicates that he is not fit for public office and, in addition, goes against the spirit of the Code of Conduct.

However, as Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development and chair of Mr Mahama’s constitutional review committee, points out in a recent Facebook post, the Code of Conduct does not state that public officers cannot give as a ‘private act of kindness’ money to someone. Does the Code need tightening?

Critics ask where did Mr Gyamfi get the dollars from? Did he accrue the dollars – illegally – by virtue of his public position, or do they represent savings from his salary?

Mr Gyamfi was called to the presidency on Monday, May 12, presumably to explain what happened. It does not appear that Mr Gyamfi’s actions went against the new Code.

What is clear however is that the incident is an unfortunate, and unwelcome, episode for a President keen to show that his new administration is a break with the past, a new broom to clean up Ghana’s political culture. We await further developments.  

While legal experts such as Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe and Professor Prempeh argue that the Code of Conduct is silent on the act of giving gifts as opposed to receiving them, public reaction suggests that legal technicalities may not suffice in matters of ethical leadership.

Mr Tamakloe, who is both Mr Gyamfi’s lawyer and colleague, insists that no rule was broken, emphasising that the Code offers no explicit prohibition against such gestures.

Nonetheless, the ‘court of public opinion’ has been less forgiving, interpreting the gesture as tone-deaf, coming so soon after the Code’s launch.

Apology

Mr Gyamfi, for his part, has issued an unqualified public apology acknowledging the indiscretion and pledging to act with greater restraint going forward.

The Presidency, through the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has summoned Mr Gyamfi to account for the incident, signalling a degree of seriousness in upholding the ethical framework (Code of Conduct). Some, however, argue that an apology alone does not settle the matter. 

A formal petition by a private citizen, Eric Dumenu Akatsi, to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) seeks a deeper probe.

It is asking for a probe not only into the sources of the cash but also into Mr Gyamfi’s financial dealings more broadly.

The petition evokes Article 218(e) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates CHRAJ to investigate suspected corruption or abuse of power.

Tests

In the light of mounting public pressure and institutional scrutiny, the Presidency now faces a critical choice.

While the Code may not have been breached, in letter, the broader spirit of ethical governance, centred on humility, restraint and public trust, has arguably been called into question.

This incident (the Sammy Gyamfi affair) could serve as a pivotal moment in the implementation of the Code, prompting a potential review or clarification of its provisions.

To maintain the credibility of the Code and the President’s reform agenda, a formal inquiry whether internal or through CHRAJ, may be necessary. Such a step would not only reinforce the government’s stated commitment to accountability but also help clarify expectations for future conduct.

President Mahama’s vision of a new political culture hinges not only on bold declarations but also on how his government responds to early tests such as this one.

Ultimately, while Mr Gyamfi may not have acted unlawfully, the episode serves as a reminder that the conduct of public officials must not only be legal but also ethical and, above all, in tune with the public’s sense of propriety. 

The writers are Emeritus Professor of Politics, London Metropolitan University, UK and a Political Scientist