A report by the Centre for Impact Analytics (CIA) has identified six areas of concerns by the public as far as public office holders are concerned.
According to the report, which evaluated the effectiveness of the Code of Ethics launched in May 2025 by President John Mahama, to provide evidence-based insight into whether the code resonates with citizens and aligns with institutional risk priorities, accountability, asset declaration and conflict of interest situations were among the top concerns of citizens.
“Roughly six key issues are responsible for between 70 and 75 percent of public concern. At the forefront are accountability and public duty, followed closely by conflict of interest, the declaration of assets and liabilities, influence peddling, and the need to ensure a safe, fair, and respectful workplace,” the report disclosed.
“This pattern underscores a broader reality: citizens are particularly sensitive to what they can see and experience in governance. Their trust is shaped, often rapidly, by visible actions and behaviors, meaning that credibility can be strengthened or eroded in a very short time.”
The report, which also examined the ethical focus of public CEOs, said it findings also showed that public CEOs, also similarly focused ethical issues, although with different priorities.
“Similar concentration emerges when examining the concerns of chief executive officers, although their perspective is shaped by different priorities,” the report noted.
“For CEOs, around five core issues account for as much as 80 percent of their ethical focus. These include conflict of interest, the use of budgetary allocations, accountability, ensuring a safe and respectful workplace, and influence peddling.”
The report explained that unlike the public, whose concerns are rooted in perception and trust, CEOs tend to approach ethics through the lens of risk management.
“Their attention is directed toward areas most likely to attract audits, regulatory scrutiny, sanctions, or legal consequences.”
The report observed that the perspectives of the public and CEOs, “highlight an important divide.”
“While citizens focus on visible conduct and integrity as signals of trustworthiness, organizational leaders are more attuned to compliance and institutional risk.”
To bridge the gap, the report recommended “not only strong ethical systems but also transparent practices that resonate with public expectations.”