President John Dramani Mahama will not hesitate to dismiss government appointees who use their positions to enrich themselves, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, has said.
According to Mr Smith, the President has made it clear that appointments to public office should not be seen as opportunities for personal financial gain, warning that anyone who engages in such conduct risks losing their position.
“He has said that those he’s given appointments to, if they think they’ve gone there to make money, they are joking because the moment he hears something, you’re out. He fires you,” Mr Smith said.
He explained that President Mahama was determined to ensure that his appointees remained focused on serving the country rather than pursuing personal interests.
Mr Smith further recalled that the President had made the remarks in a rather sarcastic manner, suggesting that some appointees could be taken by surprise when decisive action is taken against them.
“He was laughing and laughing in a sort of a sarcastic way that, ‘I’ll surprise them.’ So I believe that he knows what he’s doing,” he said.
The Ambassador stressed that beyond the President’s warnings, there must be concrete action to demonstrate his commitment to accountability and discipline within government.
“He must crack the whip as well when the time comes to crack the whip. We can’t just say that we’ll do it and we don’t do it,” he stated in an interview on TV3.
Mr Smith also expressed confidence that President Mahama was prepared to take decisive steps where necessary, particularly in addressing concerns about the performance of public officials.
He maintained that the President should be allowed to handle the issues and make the necessary decisions, adding that the public would eventually know the actions taken by his administration.
His comments come amid ongoing public discussions about accountability, discipline and the conduct of political appointees under the Mahama administration.
