Inside President Mahama’s appointee’s code of conduct on gifts

On Monday May 5, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama launched a Code of Conduct for all political appointees under his administration, spelling out new rules and ethics to regulate the conduct of his appointees.

The code of conduct, which is one of President Mahama’s cardinal promises in his first 120 days social contract with the people, applies to all ministers, deputy ministers, presidential staffers, chief executive officers, board members, members of the Council of State, and other appointees serving under the Executive.

The code of conduct aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the Government.

A paramount code of conduct that headlined the launch was the president’s directive to bar all appointees from receiving gifts valued above GHC20,000.00.

Mike FM takes a look at the details of the President’s directives on gifts captured on page 28 of the 63-page code of conduct handbook.

The detailed directives are as follows;

1. To avoid the creation or appearance of an obligation, gifts in cash or kind are not to be solicited or accepted from commercial enterprises or any other organizations.
2. An exception to this rule is the acceptance of a gift presented during an official visit to an institution. The exchange of gifts during official government visits is an accepted practice, and refusing such a gift may cause offence. Such gifts are considered tokens of the office rather than personal endorsements for the Minister.
3. The Minister must submit any gift received, in Ghana or from overseas, to the Secretary to Cabinet for appropriate display
4. Where the Minister wishes to retain gifts received, he may do so only if the estimated value does not exceed GHC20,000.00
5. Where the estimated value of the gift is more than GHC20,000.00, the Minister may retain the gift during office but must declare it to Cabinet in the interest of transparency
6. Upon leaving office, the Minister must relinquish, to Cabinet, any gift estimated to be worth over GHC20,000.00, unless the Minister obtains the express permission of the President to retain it.

President Mahama has indicated that the code of ethics clearly sets out his expectations of a government of integrity, honesty, impartiality, respect, decency, incorruptibility, competence, professionalism and standards of conduct that can withstand the closest public scrutiny.

He has pledged to deal swiftly and decisively with any political appointee who breaches any of the standards set out in this Code of Conduct.

Mike 105.3FM | Navrongo | Alexander Bombande