Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, is advocating for an expansion of the code of conduct for public appointees to address not only the receiving of gifts but also the act of giving.
His call comes in the wake of widespread backlash against the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, following the emergence of a viral video.
In the video, Mr. Gyamfi is seen handing over an undisclosed amount of U.S. dollars to evangelist Patricia Asiedua Asiamah, popularly known as Nana Agradaa.
The video has sparked public outrage, with many describing the gesture as an inappropriate display of wealth, especially during a period of economic hardship.
Civil society organisations and members of the minority caucus have also raised concerns, arguing that Mr. Gyamfi’s actions could potentially violate the Foreign Exchange Act and the Code of Conduct for Public Office Holders.
Despite mounting pressure, President John Mahama—under whose administration Mr. Gyamfi was appointed—has accepted his apology, issuing a stern warning to bring the matter to a close.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey, Dr. Asah-Asante commended the existing code of conduct introduced by President Mahama but pointed out a critical gap: its silence on public officials giving gifts.
He argued that the controversy surrounding Mr. Gyamfi underscores the need for legal backing to the presidential code, one that would clearly define permissible conduct for both giving and receiving gifts in public office.
Dr. Asah-Asante concluded by calling for a national conversation on gift culture and public service ethics.
He said, “This also brings to attention that we need to look at the code that JDM has brought to the fore. The code, by all standards, is a good starting point for us as a political society, but it emphasises a public officer receiving gifts. It is silent on a public officer giving the gift. That aspect ought to be looked at, so that we can balance and balance it well. And this is something that is becoming clear to us at this point in time. All the noise you are hearing is borne out of the fact that there is politics associated with what we are doing.”
“If you look at how Sammy Gyamfi has been arguing his case out, the way he has conducted his politics, his affairs, and all that, those who feel, slighted, or who have certain concerns about it, they are out there looking for him and it’s natural in politics, because what goes around, comes around. The code must find its way into an act, where all the things I have said, including other superior knowledge, could be incorporated in, so that we can have a meaningful conversation around that, and that whatever will come out as a public officer’s code, or code of conduct for public officers, will stand the test of time. The issue of gifts should be addressed. The giver, the taker. What are the limits that they can go? And how can our society also accept that?”
