- Presidency Bars Ministers, CEOs From Private Award Schemes Without Approval
The Presidency has directed Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions and other political appointees to stop participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending or accepting awards from private organisations unless expressly authorised by the Office of the President.
The directive was contained in a letter dated June 8, 2026, signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, and addressed to all Ministers of State and Chief Executive Officers of state-owned enterprises.
The letter, titled “Participation in Private Award Schemes and Related Events,” said President John Dramani Mahama had noted with concern the increasing trend of public officials participating in and accepting awards from private organisations claiming to recognise them as “best-performing,” “most outstanding” or “most influential” public office holders.
According to the Presidency, many of the organisations behind such awards are largely unknown to the public, have unclear credentials and do not use transparent, objective or verifiable criteria to assess the performance of public officials.
“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 letter stated.
The Presidency warned that public officials’ participation in such schemes could undermine the integrity of public service, create public misconceptions about government performance assessment and expose the government to avoidable criticism and embarrassment.
The directive marks a strong signal from Jubilee House that the administration wants to shift attention away from ceremonial recognition and toward measurable delivery.
“Public office is a solemn responsibility entrusted to officials by the people of Ghana,” the letter said.
“Performance in office cannot be measured by privately organised ceremonies, self-appointed rating bodies, or commercial award schemes whose methodologies and standards are neither established nor subject to public scrutiny.”
The President has therefore directed that all Ministers, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions and other political appointees refrain from participating in such schemes unless the Office of the President gives explicit approval.
The warning comes at a time when Ghana’s public sector has seen a growing industry of private awards, rankings, honorary recognitions and branded leadership honours targeted at ministers, chief executives, heads of agencies and senior public officials.
While some awards are organised by reputable institutions, others have raised questions over transparency, commercial motives, selection criteria and whether public officials should use such recognition as evidence of performance.
The Presidency’s position is clear: public officials should not outsource performance validation to private award organisers.
The letter said government remains focused on delivering on its commitments to the people of Ghana, adding that the true measure of ministerial and chief executive performance will be based on fulfilment of policy objectives, programmes and sector-specific targets.
These targets, the Presidency said, are those outlined in the 2024 National Democratic Congress Manifesto, the government’s development agenda and the performance indicators agreed with supervising authorities.
“Ministers and Chief Executive Officers are reminded that their performance will be assessed based on tangible outcomes, measurable impact, effective service delivery, prudent management of public resources, and the successful implementation of Government policies and programmes,” the letter stated.
The Presidency further disclosed that, in due course, it will undertake a comprehensive review of the performance of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers.
The findings of that review, the letter said, will form a key basis for decisions relating to retention in office, reassignment of responsibilities and any future Cabinet or executive restructuring.
That warning gives the directive a sharper political edge. It suggests that the administration is preparing to judge its appointees not by publicity, plaques or staged recognition events, but by policy delivery, resource management and measurable sectoral results.
“Public officials are therefore encouraged to devote their full attention to the execution of their mandates and the delivery of results for the people of Ghana rather than seeking or participating in external recognition schemes of questionable credibility,” the Presidency said.
The directive is likely to generate conversation within government, state-owned enterprises and the wider public sector, where award ceremonies have increasingly become a feature of public visibility and personal branding.
For the Presidency, however, the concern appears to go beyond optics.
When ministers and public sector CEOs accept awards from organisations whose credibility is unclear, it can blur the line between genuine performance recognition and reputation management. It can also create the impression that public service success is being certified by private entities without public accountability.
The directive may also be read as an attempt to restore discipline in the executive branch and reinforce a results-based governance culture.
If implemented strictly, it could reduce the spectacle of public officials receiving awards for performance that has not been independently verified or publicly assessed through credible institutional mechanisms.
A directive from Jubilee House can set the tone, but whether ministers, state CEOs and political appointees comply will depend on how seriously the Office of the President monitors participation in such events and whether breaches attract consequences.
The performance review promised by the Presidency will also be closely watched.
If it is credible, transparent and linked to measurable outcomes, it could strengthen accountability within government. If it becomes another internal administrative exercise without clear consequences, the message may lose force.
For now, the President’s instruction is direct: public office holders must focus on delivery, not awards.
In a country where citizens are demanding jobs, better services, prudent public spending and stronger economic management, government officials will increasingly be judged not by who gives them plaques, but by what they deliver for the people.
