Former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mrs Anna Bossman, has made a strong case for the urgent passage of the Conduct of Public Officers Bill, arguing that it is critical to ensuring ethical governance, transparency, and accountability in Ghana's public sector.
Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Mrs Bossman welcomed the introduction of a new Code of Conduct (2025) by President John Mahama for ministers and political appointees, describing it as a commendable initiative to promote integrity and curb corruption. "I think that probably the intention to have a code of conduct, which really is an ethical standard that he is setting for his appointees, is a good one," she stated.However, she was quick to stress that the real challenge lies in enforcement, which remains weak under the current setup. "A code of conduct for ministers is just a set of ethical guidelines which you should follow and principles they should apply.
But when you think about the enforcement, where it looks like the enforcement of some of these clauses is going to be at the discretion of the president…" she cautioned.
Read also: Mahama's new Code of Conduct for Ministers: 10 key rules Mrs Bossman warned that such discretionary enforcement could undermine both credibility and consistency in holding public officials accountable.
