‘First minister to bring scandal to my gov’t will be hanged on a cross and will not resurrect’ – Mahama

• Posted on November 19, 2025November 19, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his administration’s determination to deal firmly with corruption, warning ministers that any official who brings a scandal to his government will face uncompromising consequences.

Addressing the Christian Council of Ghana when they paid a courtesy call on him on Tuesday [November 18, 2025], President Mahama said past administrations often failed to confront corruption while in office, leaving issues to surface under a new government.

He noted that this practice frequently led to accusations of political persecution.

“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.

President Mahama said he has consistently warned his ministers and appointees about the personal responsibility they bear in keeping the administration free of scandal.

“I have given notice to my ministers. I ask them every day in Cabinet, I remind them. The prosecutions that we are currently taking against the previous government [officials] will apply to the first person who brings a scandal to this government. We shall hang them on a cross. And you follow our Lord Jesus Christ, that you cannot resurrect again,” he said.

The President stressed that all corruption cases, whether involving members of his administration or the previous one, would follow due process, with no shortcuts or politically motivated rush to court.

“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,” President Mahama said.

He added that public pressure would not dictate the pace of investigations without proper dockets and documentation.

“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.

President Mahama assured the Christian Council that the government was strengthening relevant institutions and providing necessary logistics to support an effective and impartial anti-corruption system.

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