President John Dramani Mahama will today, Monday, May 5, launch a new Code of Conduct for all government appointees as part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability in public service.

The announcement was made yesterday on social media by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister in Charge of Government Communications. He said the launch marks an important moment in the President’s 120-day Social Contract.

“President Mahama enters an important week in which stock will be taken off the rollout of his 120-day Social Contract,” Kwakye Ofosu wrote.

According to him, the rules set to be released by the President are expected to regulate the conduct, actions, and inactions of all government appointees to ensure effective and efficient service delivery in their respective offices.`“It begins tomorrow with the unveiling of a strict Code of Conduct to regulate the activities of all appointees and ensure transparency and accountability in government” he added.

This announcement comes at a time when the President continues to emphasize the importance of excellence in leadership, service, and accountability among public office holders, warning that his administration will not tolerate arrogance, extravagance, or the misuse of public resources.

One of his directives includes a ban on first-class travel for government officials, reinforcing his commitment to modesty in public service. He has also emphasized that officials must serve with humility and avoid any display of excess.

As part of his governance reforms, he has introduced the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative, which aims to investigate and reclaim misappropriated public assets. Additionally, Mahama is enforcing strict ethical standards to prevent officials from using state resources for personal gain.

He has firmly stated that any appointee unwilling to serve with integrity should step aside. His overarching message is that public office is a duty, not an opportunity for personal enrichment.

Meanwhile, there is pressure mounting on President John Dramani Mahama to take immediate and decisive action against government officials who have failed to declare their assets in accordance with the law.

A report by The Fourth Estate revealed that several high-ranking officials have yet to fulfil the constitutional obligation. Out of 55 ministers and deputy ministers, nine have failed to declare their assets. Additionally, eight out of 32 presidential staffers and 37 out of 84 heads of state institutions appointed between January 15 and March 18 have not complied with the President’s directive.

President Mahama had earlier submitted his asset declaration forms to the Auditor General on February 18 and issued a firm order to his appointees to follow suit by March, warning of sanctions for defaulters.

The legal framework guiding asset declaration is the Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550). The Act mandates public officials to declare their assets before assuming office, every four years, and at the end of their term—submitting the forms no later than six months after any of these events.

Importantly, Section 8 of the Act provides that allegations of non-compliance must be referred to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), which is empowered to investigate and take appropriate action.