Political Scientist Dr. Kwame Asah Asante has raised concerns about the gift threshold set in President John Dramani Mahama’s newly unveiled Code of Conduct for political appointees.
The Code, launched at the Jubilee House on Monday, May 5, 2025, is part of the President’s 120-day social contract with Ghanaians.
It sets clear ethical guidelines for appointees under this government including both the President and Vice-President to promote discipline, integrity, and accountability in governance.
A key provision prohibits appointees from accepting gifts or favours from individuals or businesses with vested interests in government decisions.
However, gifts exceeding GH¢20,000 must be declared and surrendered upon exit from office, unless the President grants written permission for them to be retained.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey, Dr. Asah Asante said the GH¢20,000 threshold is too high and could open the door to corruption.
He proposed a lower limit of GH¢5,000 to reinforce public service principles of impartiality and integrity.
Dr. Asah Asante warned that a high threshold might encourage unethical behavior under the guise of acceptability.
The Code also bars appointees from purchasing state assets including land, vehicles, buildings, or shares and from using their influence to secure contracts or appointments for family or associates.
Violations could result in public reprimands, suspension, or dismissal. A public portal will soon be launched to allow citizens to confidentially report breaches.
While Dr. Asah Asante commended the Code’s broader intent, he urged the government to strengthen it further to ensure a culture of zero tolerance for corruption.
He said, “I disagree with that too. I want the threshold to have been 5,000, we are telling you that don’t take anything. Don’t take a good service. Render, because as a public servant, you serve your people without expecting anything. You serve your clients without passion, without affection, without hatred. The principle of impartiality, impersonality comes in. Kick yourself out and do your service without looking for any reward. The Latin expression, sine era est duo, without passion, without affection, without hatred. So all these people together, we are saying that don’t accept anything because that’s all. You are paying for the services that you render to the state with all the pets and all that, and you still want to take what? 10,000.”
He added, “It’s too much. It should be 5,000. Telling you that the state doesn’t want this. Because go to the United States. You have this type of code that exists there. And the threshold is so small that it’s something little. You have to surrender it to the state. You have to surrender it to the state. So it becomes something that you are not even interested in, because there’s very little thing. And when you go beyond the law, you are in no crucial. So everybody is afraid. But when you put the bar at hand, 10,000. 10,000, yes, for a minister or any public appointee, you think it’s not that much. But I tell you, the significant amount of money, it should be about 5,000 or even less to tell you that don’t accept anything. After all, you are being paid for the service you render. So what’s the meaning of that? Because that is the beginning of corruption.”
