Code of Conduct Introduction: Lawyer Pushes for Legal Reinforcement
A lawyer, Martin Kpeku, has called for the enactment of a parliamentary act to codify the code of conduct for government appointees to ensure its provisions remain binding on successive administrations.
He made this call after the announcement of the President to introduce a code of conduct for all government appointees today, Monday, May 5, 2025.
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In an interview with Joy News on Monday, May 5, Martin Kpebu noted that although President Mahama introduced a code of conduct during his first term, it was unfortunately not binding due to its nature as an executive policy. As a result, the subsequent Akufo-Addo administration did not continue with President Mahama’s code of conduct.
“We should learn a big lesson from the fact that President Akufo-Addo, when he came into office, didn’t use President Mahama’s code of conduct; they didn’t use it for eight years. So that should tell us that we need an act of parliament so that no matter who is in office, that law will be binding.”
While welcoming the launch of the code of conduct, he emphasized that it should not be seen as a substitute for the conditionalities set by the International Monetary Fund.
“So what is being launched today cannot replace the act of parliament we want so that act 550 will be amended so that no matter who is in office, the law will be binding.”
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The new code of conduct is expected to “spell out the dos and don’ts of public service, eliminating ambiguity and reinforcing the administration’s commitment to integrity,” and will serve as a foundational framework for accountability, providing clear guidance for appointees’ behavior across all government sectors.
