Mahama declares war on appointees, warns against scandals

President John Dramani Mahama has sent a stern warning to all ministers and appointees in his administration, signalling an unprecedented zero-tolerance approach to corruption.

Speaking during a courtesy call by the Christian Council of Ghana on Tuesday, the President said any official who brings a scandal to his government will face “uncompromising consequences.”

President Mahama expressed frustration over what he described as a recurring problem in Ghanaian governance, where successive administrations fail to address corruption while in office, leaving it for successors to investigate.

This, he said, often gives rise to accusations of political witch-hunting.

“When a government is in office, when scandals are taking place, they don’t deal with them. They leave it until a new government comes. And when that government begins investigating, the previous administration claims it is being witch-hunted. This is political persecution,” he said.

The President emphasized that his administration is taking proactive steps to prevent such scenarios. He revealed that ministers and appointees have been repeatedly reminded of their personal responsibility to keep the government free from scandal. Mahama warned that the first official found culpable of misconduct under his watch would face the harshest judgment. “We shall hang them on a cross. And you follow our Lord Jesus Christ, that you cannot resurrect again,” he declared.

While his language was stark, the President clarified that due process will govern all investigations. Every corruption case, whether linked to current or former officials, will follow established legal procedures. Evidence must be gathered, cases properly documented, and the judiciary allowed to determine guilt or innocence.

“A person, even if accused, must have his day in court. A judge must examine the evidence and decide whether he is guilty or not guilty. You do not take someone to court simply because you believe a crime has been committed. Evidence must be gathered,” Mahama stated.

The President also stressed that public opinion will not dictate the pace of investigations.

“We are not going to rush those cases if we do not have evidence because the public is baying for blood. We will gather the evidence, prepare the dockets properly, so that when we take these people to court, we are certain of the charges,” he said.

Mahama assured the Christian Council that his government is strengthening institutions responsible for fighting corruption, providing them with the necessary resources and logistics to operate effectively and impartially.

“The fight against corruption will be impartial and fair. We are strengthening the institutions and providing the resources they need,” he noted.

This declaration comes against the backdrop of ongoing high-profile cases involving former officials, including the prosecution of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and others over alleged financial misconduct in the SML procurement scandal, which reportedly caused losses of GH₵1.4 billion to the state.