Don’t accept ‘questionable awards’ – Mahama to appointees 

President John Dramani Mahama has directed Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, and other political appointees to refrain from accepting awards from private organisations unless they receive prior approval from the Office of the President.

The directive forms part of efforts by the Presidency to protect the integrity of public service and ensure that the performance of government officials is assessed through credible and transparent mechanisms rather than privately organised recognition schemes.

In a statement issued by the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, the Presidency expressed concern over the increasing number of awards being conferred on public officials by private organisations claiming to recognise excellence, influence and outstanding performance in public office.

According to the statement, many of these organisations operate with limited public visibility and often fail to provide clear, verifiable criteria for selecting award recipients. This, the Presidency noted, raises questions about the credibility of such honours and the processes used to determine winners.

“His Excellency the President has noted with concern the increasing trend of Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of State Institutions, and other public officials participating in and accepting awards from various private organisations purporting to recognise them as the ‘best-performing’, ‘most outstanding’, or ‘most influential’ public office holders.”

The Presidency warned that the growing prevalence of these awards risks creating misleading impressions about how public sector performance is evaluated. It further argued that such recognition programmes could expose government institutions to unnecessary criticism and potentially undermine public confidence in official performance assessment systems.

As a result, all affected officials have been instructed to seek express authorisation before participating in, endorsing, sponsoring or accepting awards from private entities.

The statement emphasized that public office is a responsibility entrusted by the people of Ghana and that the true measure of performance should be based on service delivery, policy implementation and impact on citizens rather than recognition from external organisations.

According to the Presidency, the government remains focused on delivering its development agenda and fulfilling commitments outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 manifesto. Officials are therefore expected to prioritise results and measurable outcomes over personal accolades.

The statement further revealed that a comprehensive assessment of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers will be conducted in due course. The findings, it said, will play a significant role in decisions regarding retention, reassignment and future restructuring within the executive arm of government.

The directive comes just days after several government officials were honoured at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.

Among those recognised were Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo, who received the Best Regional Minister Award; Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, named Best Male Performing Minister; Deputy Transport Minister and Jomoro MP Dorcas Toffey, adjudged Best Deputy Minister; and Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, who won the Best Female Minister Award.

The event, attended by government officials, traditional leaders and other stakeholders, including the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, sought to celebrate excellence in public service and leadership.