A new report by the Centre for Impact Analytics identified that between 70% and 75% of public concern in Ghana centers on accountability, asset declaration, and conflict of interest among public officials. This finding comes after an evaluation of the Code of Ethics that President John Dramani Mahama launched in May 2025. The report underscores a significant gap between public expectations and the ethical focus of institutional leaders.
These issues gained prominence as part of a study designed to understand if the new Code of Ethics resonated with citizens. The study also assessed if these ethical guidelines aligned with the risk priorities of public institutions. The findings indicate that public trust is heavily influenced by the visible actions and behavior of those in public office.
This concern reflects a broader narrative in Ghana regarding governance and public sector integrity. Past anti-corruption efforts and public declarations against graft often highlight the importance of transparency. Recent legislative efforts, such as the Value for Money Office bill signed by President Mahama, aim to curb inflated government contracts. These actions signal ongoing efforts to address the very issues raised in this latest report.
The Centre for Impact Analytics report states, “Roughly six key issues are responsible for between 70 and 75 per cent of public concern.” The report highlighted accountability and public duty as primary concerns. Conflict of interest, asset declaration, influence peddling, and workplace respect followed closely behind. The study emphasized that citizens are highly sensitive to obvious conduct and experiences in governance.
This report suggests that the government and public institutions must focus on transparent actions to rebuild and maintain public trust. Decision-makers will likely review these findings to inform future policy and public engagement strategies. The divergence between public and CEO perspectives demands careful consideration to ensure ethical frameworks are both comprehensive and well-communicated.
The report also examined the ethical priorities of chief executive officers (CEOs) in public institutions. It found that while CEOs shared some concerns with the public, their focus differed. For CEOs, roughly five key issues accounted for almost 80% of their ethical focus. These included conflict of interest, use of budgetary allocations, accountability, and a safe workplace. The report noted that CEOs approach ethics more from a risk management perspective. Their attention centers on areas likely to attract audits or legal consequences.
This shows a clear distinction, with citizens focusing on visible conduct as a trust signal. Organisational leaders, conversely, prioritize compliance and institutional risk, which aligns with their responsibility for the financial health and regulatory standing of their entities. Bridging this gap will require not just robust ethical systems but also clear, public-facing practices. These practices must align with and address popular expectations regarding integrity in public service.