Dr Johnson Asiamah’s Path To His Bank of Ghana Governor Nomination

Ghana President John Mahama has nominated Dr. Johnson Asiamah as the new Bank of Ghana Governor pending approval from the state council.

This follows news that the current governor Dr. Ernest Addison, is taking his terminal leave ahead of his March retirement.

Timeline

Below is a timeline highlighting key events in his career, including past controversies and his recent nomination as Governor of the Bank of Ghana:

• 1996: Dr. Asiamah joined the Bank of Ghana, where he served in various departments, including Banking Supervision, Financial Markets, Research, and the Governors’ Department.
• 2010 – 2013: He served as Director of the Macroeconomic Management Department at the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) in Lagos, Nigeria, designing capacity-building programs for central banks and public sector institutions across West Africa.
• April 2016: Appointed as the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
• January 2018: Resigned from his position as Second Deputy Governor following the assumption of office by the Akufo-Addo administration.
• August 2019: Criticized the government’s handling of the banking sector cleanup, suggesting that public statements by officials contributed to the collapse of some savings and loans companies. The Bank of Ghana responded, refuting his claims and emphasizing the necessity of their actions to protect depositors.

• January 2020: Accused Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of refusing to assist uniBank during its liquidity crisis, alleging that the Minister declined to make payments due to the bank, which could have averted its collapse.
• February 2020: Charged along with former Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffuor for laundering and willfully causing financial loss to the state.

• September 2024: Voiced concerns about the government’s ‘Gold for Oil’ initiative, criticizing its opaque nature and the involvement of the Central Bank in its implementation. He argued that the program lacked a clear blueprint and burdened the Bank of Ghana.
• January 2025: The Office of the Attorney General withdraws all charges against Dr. Johnson Asiama, for his alleged role in the collapse of  UT Bank and uniBank.

• January 2025: Nominated as the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, marking a significant return to the institution’s leadership.

What Happens Next

His nomination for approval for Governor is currently pending approval from Ghana’s council of state.