Mahama bans CEOs, Ministers from accepting ‘questionable awards’

The Presidency has directed 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 authorisation from the Office of the President.

The directive, issued by the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, follows concerns raised by President John Dramani Mahama over the growing trend 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 organisations are largely unknown to the public, have unclear credentials, and lack transparent or verifiable criteria for assessing the performance of public officials.

“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 warned that the proliferation of such awards could undermine the integrity of public service, create misconceptions about how government performance is assessed, and expose the government to unnecessary public criticism and embarrassment.

The Presidency stressed that public office is a solemn responsibility entrusted to officials by the people of Ghana and that performance cannot be measured through privately organised ceremonies or commercial award schemes whose methodologies and standards are not subject to public scrutiny.

It 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.”

According to the statement, government remains focused on delivering its policy commitments and development agenda, particularly those outlined in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 manifesto and other agreed performance targets.

The Presidency also disclosed that a comprehensive review of the performance of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers would be conducted in due course, with the findings serving as a key basis for decisions on retention in office, reassignment of responsibilities, and future executive restructuring.

Public officials were consequently urged to devote their attention to delivering results rather than seeking recognition through external award schemes whose credibility may be difficult to verify.

The directive comes 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.

Deputy Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Toffey, was adjudged Best Deputy Minister, while Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, received the Best Female Minister Award.

The ceremony brought together government officials, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to celebrate what organisers described as excellence in public service delivery and leadership.

The event was attended by the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II.