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Deputy Government Spokesperson Shamima Muslim has revealed that government appointees are seeking clarity on parts of the newly launched Code of Conduct for Ministers and Political Appointees,particularly regarding the rules on gifts and hampers.
Her remarks come in the wake of President John Dramani Mahama’s unveiling of the 66-page document aimed at strengthening ethics and integrity in public service.
The 2025 Code of Conduct sets out strict guidelines to address corruption, conflicts of interest, and abuse of power. Among its key provisions are new rules governing the acceptance and management of gifts. According to the document, any gift exceeding GHC20,000 must be declared to Cabinet, and public funds cannot be used to purchase hampers unless expressly approved by the Chief of Staff for staff recognition purposes.
Speaking on PM Express on Joy News, Shamima Muslim welcomed the Code as “a very good addition to our governance,” but emphasized that some provisions require further explanation to ensure full compliance and avoid loopholes.
“There’s a threshold set at twenty thousand and then the arising question of what you do with the the gift upon exit. I’m also even curious as a staffer about the frequency argument and beyond the frequency, we would also need clarity on the sources. So, for example, if I am receiving frequent gets within the threshold of twenty thousand from a particular source, what does that mean?” She said.
The Deputy Government Spokesperson debunked the misconception that gifts below the threshold automatically belong to the appointee. She further urged that the conversation extend beyond the technicalities of gift policies to broader questions of ethical governance and political accountability.
“let it not be like we are free to deceive the people of Ghana. This is a very good addition to our governance and I’m explaining to you because you had given the impression that people who received gifts within the threshold of 20,000 Ghana cedis, there’s no indication of whether they relinquish it.
“I say in that same document, you are expected to relinquish that gift upon exit of your office unless you have received express permission by the president to keep that particular gift. Let me also explain, you are asking about the rationale behind the threshold. I also want to invite us to have a conversation around and beond campaign financing, beyond political party financing, we should have a conversation around governance.”
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
