The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Addah, has raised concerns about President John Mahama's newly introduced Code of Conduct for public office holders, noting that it cannot be enforced beyond his administration.
In an interview on Channel One TV on Wednesday, May 7, Addah praised the effort as a step in the right direction but maintained that it falls short in tackling the deeper issues of corruption in Ghana's governance system. "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 highlighted the absence of the Conduct of Public Officers (COPO) Bill as a major shortcoming, stressing that the lack of legal backing undermines the effectiveness and sustainability of the new code.
Addah explained that while the code reflects Mahama's personal commitment to integrity, its application remains limited to his own government and cannot be imposed on future administrations. "Today, the president has launched what he calls the Conduct of Public Officers, a fantastic document, but then it is not one that can 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.
