Presidency Bans Ministers and Public Officials from Accepting Private Awards Without Approval
The Presidency has issued a strong directive instructing all Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, and other political appointees to refrain from participating in or accepting awards from private organisations without prior approval from the Office of the President.
The directive, conveyed in a statement by the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, follows growing concerns raised by President John Dramani Mahama over the increasing number of public officials being honoured by private bodies as “best-performing”, “most outstanding”, or “most influential” office holders.
According to the Presidency, many of these awarding organisations are relatively unknown, lack transparent selection criteria, and have unclear credentials, raising questions about the credibility of such recognitions.
The statement warned that the proliferation of such awards could undermine the integrity of public service, create misconceptions about government performance, and expose the administration to unnecessary public criticism and embarrassment.
“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 statement read.
It stressed that public office is a solemn responsibility and that the performance of officials should be measured through tangible outcomes, effective service delivery, prudent management of public resources, and the successful implementation of government policies — not through privately organised award schemes.
The Presidency has therefore directed all public officials to “refrain from participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting awards from such organisations unless expressly authorised by the Office of the President.”
A comprehensive performance review of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers will be conducted in due course, with findings to guide decisions on retention, reassignment, or restructuring.
The directive comes just days after several government officials were honoured at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.
The move is expected to refocus public officials on delivering results aligned with the government’s manifesto commitments and national development priorities.
