President John Dramani Mahama has imposed restrictions on the acceptance of awards by government appointees, directing Ministers, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state institutions, and other political office holders to seek approval from the Presidency before receiving honours from private organisations.
The directive, issued through the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, comes amid concerns about the growing trend of private entities presenting awards to public officials.
According to the Presidency, many of these organisations claim to recognise individuals as the “best-performing,” “most influential,” or “most outstanding” public servants, despite lacking transparent evaluation systems and credible track records.
Government expressed concern that some of the award schemes are organised by little-known entities whose assessment methods are unclear, raising questions about the legitimacy of the honours being conferred.
The Presidency warned that such awards could distort public perception of government performance and potentially compromise the integrity of public office. It stressed that accountability in public service should be determined through measurable results and not by private recognition programmes with questionable standards.
As a result, all political appointees have been instructed not to accept, endorse, sponsor, attend, or participate in award events organised by private bodies unless they obtain prior clearance from the Office of the President.
The statement further emphasised that public officials should remain focused on delivering quality services and implementing government policies rather than pursuing external accolades.
Government noted that the performance of Ministers and CEOs will be assessed based on key indicators, including policy implementation, service delivery, effective management of public resources, and overall contribution to national development.
It also announced plans for a comprehensive performance review of appointees, with the outcome expected to inform decisions on retention, reassignment, or other administrative changes.
The directive follows the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on June 6, 2026, where several government officials received honours.
Award recipients included Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Deputy Transport Minister Dorcas Toffey, and Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey.
The event brought together public officials, traditional authorities, and other stakeholders, with the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, among the dignitaries in attendance.
