Recovering Integrity in Ghana's Governance: A Transcultural Study in Public Service Ethics

Abstract

The conceptualization of public service ethics as based on a compliance-integrity framework originated in Anglo-American society. This idea is applied to examine opportunities and challenges of public integrity in Ghana. The purpose is to build on work done to give reflective attention to the Anglo-American model and provide comparable experience in a cross-cultural setting. The analysis shows that implementation of the model has not stemmed the downward slide of integrity in spite of attempts at administrative reform. The article concludes with a sketch of some building blocks for redescribing ethics as a social and transcultural product for achieving good governance and enhancing our understanding of comparative administration.

Civil servants’ integrity in public sector: the case of Nepal

“…While integrity has become a central concept and topic in government and governance research and actual policy making at all levels, multiple perspectives and interpretations exist ( Huberts et al., 2022 ). Integrity is a value-laden concept ( Haruna, 2008 ), and has no perfect universally agreed definition (Cox et al., 2008; cited in Brillantes and Fernandez, 2011 ). Many scholars define integrity as wholeness or consistency, while others define it as synonymous with specific values such as honesty, reliability, or incorruptibility ( Huberts et al., 2022 ).…”

“… Concept Main Ideas Sources Integrity Value-laden concept Sense of completeness, wholeness, coherence, and consistency Not just being not corrupt and involves wholeness consistent action with principles, morality, and process. Acting in accordance with relevant moral and legal values and norms Attribute of being honest and truthful honesty and trustworthiness in executing official tasks Montefiore and Vines (1999) ; Armstrong (2005) ; Haruna (2008) ; Amundsen and Pinto De Andrade (2009) ; Heywood et al. (2017) ; Hubert and Van Montfort (2020) Utilitarianism An action is morally justifiable if it maximizes many people’s happiness and minimizes their harm Action is right or wrong depends on whether that action can maximize positive outcomes Maximizes value over non-value and seeks the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people Lawton et al.…”

“…Many scholars carried out studies on unethical behavior, ethics, corruption, codes of conduct, public integrity, governments’ integrity, integrity management, integrity system, and integrity violation (see: Grundstein-Amado, 2001 ; Balogun, 2003 ; Walker, 2005 ; Bhattarai, 2009 ; Briggs, 2009 ; Shakya, 2009 ; Hoekstra and Kaptein, 2012 ; Elcock, 2012 ; Lawton et al., 2013 ; Haruna, 2008 ; Huberts, 2014 , 2018 ; Hubert and Van Montfort, 2020 ; Ertas, 2021 ; Khadka and Bhattarai, 2021 ; Hoekstra et al., 2022 ; Huberts et al., 2022 ; Neupane et al., 2022 ). The studies provide different perspectives and theoretical frameworks to understand public service values and ethos.…”

“I take an oath to the state, not the government”: Career Trajectories and Professional Ethics of Ghanaian Public Servants

“…There are only few, mainly historical, studies on African administrators, and virtually none asks how professional ethics are generated, disseminated and upheld. 6 6 Robert Price (1975) has conducted a survey among Ghanaian civil servants in the late 1960s that I will discuss below; for examples of historical research on African administrative careers, see Eckert 2007and Lawrance et al 2006. Haruna's (2008 discussion of public service ethics in Ghana develops a 'transcultural' normative model of how the administration's integrity should be based on a traditional 'community ethos', but is not based on any empirical study of public servants.…”

States at Work

“…Robert Price (1975) has conducted a survey among Ghanaian civil servants in the late 1960s that I will discuss below; for examples of historical research on African administra tive careers, seeEckert (2007 and this volume) and Haruna's (2008). discussion of public service ethics in Ghana develops a "transcultural" normative model of how the administration's integrity should be based on a traditional "community ethos", but is not based on any empirical study of public servants.…”