The Presidency has directed all Ministers, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions and other political appointees to stop participating in or accepting awards from private organisations unless they obtain prior approval from the Office of the President.
The directive, issued by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama, reflects growing concern by President John Dramani Mahama over the increasing number of privately organised award schemes that seek to honour public officials as the “best-performing”, “most outstanding” or “most influential” office holders.
According to the Presidency, many of the organisations conferring such honours operate with little public visibility, unclear credentials and assessment methods that are not transparent or independently verifiable.
In a statement, the Presidency noted that the proliferation of these awards risks creating misleading perceptions about how the performance of government officials is evaluated and could ultimately undermine public confidence in state institutions.
It warned that participation in such events may expose the government to avoidable criticism and embarrassment, particularly where the credibility of the awarding bodies is questionable.
The Presidency stressed that holding public office is a responsibility entrusted by the Ghanaian people and that the effectiveness of public servants should not be determined through privately organised ceremonies or commercial recognition platforms lacking established standards and public accountability.
As a result, all affected officials have been instructed to refrain from sponsoring, endorsing, attending or accepting awards from private organisations unless express authorisation is granted by the Office of the President.
The statement reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering on its development agenda and policy objectives, including promises outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 manifesto and other agreed performance benchmarks.
It explained that the performance of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers would instead be assessed using measurable indicators such as service delivery outcomes, implementation of government programmes, prudent management of public resources and the overall impact of policies on citizens.
The Presidency further announced plans for a comprehensive performance review of Ministers and heads of state institutions. Findings from the assessment are expected to inform decisions regarding retention, reassignment and future restructuring within the executive branch of government.
Public officials were therefore encouraged to focus their energies on delivering results and meeting government targets rather than pursuing recognition through external award schemes whose credibility may be difficult to establish.
The directive comes shortly after a number of government appointees received honours at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on June 6.
Among the recipients were Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo, who was named Best Regional Minister; Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who received the Best Male Performing Minister award; Deputy Transport Minister and Member of Parliament for Jomoro Dorcas Toffey, adjudged Best Deputy Minister; and Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, who won the Best Female Minister category.
The event, attended by government officials, traditional authorities and other stakeholders, was organised to recognise excellence in public service and leadership. The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, was among the dignitaries present.
