Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has taken a firm stance against corruption, ordering the confiscation of three months’ salary from ministers and top public officials who failed to declare their assets by the 31 March deadline.
In a speech delivered on 5 May, Mahama gave the unnamed defaulters until 8 May to comply with the law or face dismissal.
The withheld salaries, he announced, would be redirected to a medical fund to support patients suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases.
The announcement came during the launch of a new Code of Conduct, part of the president’s wider push to instill integrity among his directly appointed officials. Mahama, who returned to office in January, has positioned the fight against corruption and poor governance as central to his final term in office.
“Public office is not a reward. You’re not here to occupy space—you’re here to solve problems,” Mahama warned his ministers at a cabinet meeting held on 28 April.
The new Code bars government officials from exchanging gifts, purchasing state assets, or undertaking foreign travel without official approval. It also requires the declaration of private commercial interests. To enforce these rules, the presidency has created an online platform allowing citizens to confidentially report suspected breaches of conduct.
In Accra’s Labadi neighbourhood, the public mood suggests cautious optimism. “When they’re in opposition, they always promise to be better. We just pray this time he actually means it,” said Mary Narh, a street vendor selling porridge at the roadside.
Ghana is estimated to lose around $3 billion each year to corruption, a figure Mahama’s administration says it is determined to bring down.
For Michael Dery, a resident speaking from the shade of a wall, the issue is deeply cultural. “If someone helps me build a house and I return with a gift, I see it as appreciation, not corruption. But because I’ve given a gift, if that person comes back, I’ll feel obligated to help them. That’s how it starts,” he explained.
Under the new Code, such “appreciation” in political dealings is now explicitly prohibited.
The broader reform effort also includes the “Retrieve All Assets” campaign launched last December when Mahama was still a presidential candidate. The initiative seeks to investigate corruption allegations and prevent the misappropriation of public resources.
Bright Simons, a governance expert with the Ghanaian think tank IMANI, welcomed the measures but called for legal backing. “We view this renewed focus on good governance as a near-commitment. But what’s needed now is legislative force,” Simons said.
He urged Parliament to pass the Code of Conduct into law, introduce regulations compelling public disclosure of asset declarations, and establish a legal framework for prosecuting individuals with unexplained wealth.
“There’s currently too much discretion. Declarations are confidential. We need laws that make it easier to hold people accountable when their wealth has no clear origin,” Simons added.
Whether Mahama’s bold rhetoric will translate into systemic change may depend on how the administration handles officials who defy asset disclosure requirements.
For many Ghanaians, the coming weeks will serve as a litmus test of the president’s sincerity—and whether the promise of clean governance will finally move beyond political speeches to real accountability.
