A senior government communicator has pushed back against perceptions of political excess, insisting that President John Dramani Mahama’s administration is deliberately rejecting luxury in favour of modest, people-centred governance.
Speaking on The Verdict with Isaac Addae on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, Raymond Edem Tamekloe of the Government Communications Office said the President has made it clear that public office is not a pathway to personal enrichment but a responsibility grounded in humility and service.
Tamekloe stressed that government officials are not insulated from Ghana’s economic realities, noting that those in office experience the same pressures as ordinary citizens.
According to him, President Mahama has consistently reminded appointees that leadership is not about “lording over the people” or exploiting public resources, but about earning trust through sacrifice and restraint.
“The President has said it clearly: being in office is not an avenue to line your pockets with public resources. It is an avenue to serve with modesty and humility,” Tamekloe emphasized.
He pointed to concrete steps taken at the Presidency to demonstrate this posture, revealing that non-essential subscriptions such as DSTV services have been cancelled, alongside fuel allowances and coupons previously enjoyed by government workers. These decisions, he said, were driven by the President’s belief that leaders must “tighten their belts first” before asking citizens to endure economic hardship.
“The era where politicians enter office and become rich overnight is over,” Tamekloe stated, adding that President Mahama has shown, through action, that public service must be lived modestly and transparently.
He argued that credibility in governance begins when leaders align their lifestyle with the realities of the people they serve.
Tamekloe concluded that no one is forced into public office, and those who seek leadership must be prepared to serve without entitlement. In his words, “Leadership is a choice to serve rightly, not a license to enjoy unchecked privilege.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Barbara Yeboah
