Fundraising Manager at Transparency International Ghana (formerly Ghana Integrity Initiative), Michael Boadi, has called for the swift passage of the Conduct of Public Officers Bill.
According to him, the bill, which has been pending in Ghana’s Parliament for over two decades, is a rule-based code designed to regulate the conduct of public officers and enforce clearly defined sanctions.
Mr. Boadi made the call during his appearance on the Corruption Watch show on Adom FM, where he participated in a discussion comparing Ghana’s newly unveiled Code of Conduct introduced by President John Dramani Mahama with similar laws in other jurisdictions.
He noted that while the President’s code is a welcome initiative, it is principle-based and therefore lacks the legal authority to enforce sanctions in the event of breaches.
He further explained that the current code allows for the exercise of discretion and potential bias, as sanctions are applied on a case-by-case basis. In contrast, the Conduct of Public Officers Bill outlines specific sanctions for defined offences, reducing ambiguity and promoting fairness.
Mr. Boadi cited the handling of the infamous dollar gift given by the Acting CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, as a classic example of discretionary enforcement.
He also advocated for a review of the code to include sanctions against both giving and receiving gifts, as the current version only addresses the latter.
He criticized inconsistencies within the newly introduced Code of Conduct, highlighting the contradiction between sections that bar public officials from receiving gifts and others that allow them to accept and declare gifts valued over GH₵20,000.
He added that this threshold should be aligned with the Income Tax Act, 2015 (Act 896), which requires taxes to be paid on gifts received—an approach he said would promote transparency and accountability.
Mr. Boadi argued that the GH₵20,000 gift threshold opens the door for more public officers to be compromised. He concluded by urging the government to adopt stricter standards, similar to those in other jurisdictions where public officials are entirely prohibited from receiving gifts, especially since the government currently holds a majority in Parliament.