President John Dramani Mahama has instructed all Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state agencies, and other political appointees to avoid accepting awards from private organisations unless they first obtain approval from the Office of the President. The directive, issued on Monday, June 8, is part of efforts by the Presidency to protect the credibility of public service and curb what it describes as an increasing tendency for officials to seek recognition from bodies with questionable legitimacy.
The Presidency raised concerns that the rise of such awards could subject government officials and institutions to public scrutiny and weaken confidence in public administration.
The directive further warns appointees against taking part in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting honours from privately organised award events and commercial recognition schemes without explicit authorisation from the Presidency.
President Mahama referred to some organisers as “self-appointed rating bodies” whose evaluation methods and standards are neither formally established nor independently verified.
He noted that many of the award schemes targeting public officials are run by organisations whose identities are not widely known, whose credentials are unclear, and whose assessment criteria lack transparency.
“In many instances, the organisations conferring such awards are largely unknown to the public, their credentials are unclear, and no transparent, objective, or verifiable criteria exist for assessing the performance of public officials,” the directive stated. He reiterated that public office is a trust granted by the people of Ghana and should not be judged through privately organised ceremonies.
“Performance in office cannot be measured by privately organised ceremonies,” the President stressed. Instead, he emphasised that performance should be assessed based on the delivery of government policies, programmes, and sector-specific goals outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto and the broader national development agenda.
The directive also indicates tighter performance monitoring within government. The President therefore urged all appointees to concentrate on delivering results for citizens rather than pursuing external recognition.
It follows the “Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards,” organised by a private firm, Big Events Ghana, which has, over time, recognised both current and former ministers and chief executives across various editions.
The organisers have not publicly responded to allegations regarding payments.
President Mahama further announced that the Presidency will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers in the coming months.
According to the statement, the outcome of this review will significantly influence decisions on retention, reassignment, and potential restructuring within government.
