President John Dramani Mahama has issued a firm directive prohibiting Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state institutions, and other political appointees from accepting awards from private organizations without prior clearance from the Office of the President. The directive, announced on Monday, June 8, forms part of efforts to safeguard the integrity of public service and curb the growing practice of officials seeking recognition from entities of questionable credibility.
According to the President, many of the award schemes currently targeting public officials are organised by bodies whose credentials, assessment standards, and selection processes 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.
President Mahama described some of these groups as “self-appointed rating bodies” whose methodologies are neither established nor subjected to public scrutiny. The Presidency expressed concern that the proliferation of such awards risks exposing government officials and institutions to public criticism, ultimately undermining confidence in public administration.
Under the new directive, appointees are explicitly cautioned against:
Accepting awards from privately organised ceremonies and commercial recognition schemes.
Participating in, sponsoring, or endorsing such events.
Attending these ceremonies without express authorisation from the Presidency.
Delivery Over Decoration
The President reminded public officials that public office is a responsibility entrusted to them by the people of Ghana and should not be validated through private award ceremonies. “Performance in office cannot be measured by privately organised ceremonies,” President Mahama stressed.
Instead, he emphasised that the true measure of performance lies in how effectively appointees deliver on government policies, programmes, and sector-specific targets outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto, as well as the broader national development agenda.
Performance Reviews Looming
The directive also signals a tightening of internal government oversight. President Mahama announced that the Presidency will undertake a comprehensive assessment of all Ministers and Chief Executive Officers in the coming months. The outcome of this review, according to the statement, will play a critical role in executive decisions regarding retention, reassignment, and future government restructuring. Appointees have been urged to refocus their attention entirely on delivering tangible results for Ghanaians rather than pursuing external recognition.
The Presidency’s intervention follows the controversial “Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards,” an event staged by the private firm Big Events Ghana. The scheme has honoured several serving and former ministers and chief executives across multiple editions.
The directive comes amid lingering public scrutiny, though the organisers of the event have not publicly addressed allegations regarding payments associated with the honours.
Source: Winifred Lartey
