Presidency Bans Appointees From Accepting Awards From Private Groups
President John Dramani Mahama has directed all Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, and political appointees to stop participating in or accepting awards from private organisations that rate them as “best-performing” or “most outstanding” public officials.
In a statement, the President noted with concern the increasing trend of public officials attending and accepting such awards.
Many of the organisations, he said, are “largely unknown to the public, their credentials are unclear, and no transparent, objective, or verifiable criteria exist for assessing performance.”
The Presidency warned that the proliferation of these awards risks undermining the integrity of public service, creating misconceptions about government performance, and exposing government to “unnecessary public criticism and embarrassment.”
“Public office is a solemn responsibility entrusted to officials by the people of Ghana. Performance in the 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 statement read.
His Excellency has directed that all Ministers, CEOs, and appointees refrain from participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting awards from such organisations unless expressly authorised by the Office of the President.
The government, the Presidency stressed, remains focused on delivering on its commitments to Ghanaians.
“The true measure of performance… is the extent to which they fulfil the policy objectives, programmes, and sector-specific targets outlined in the 2024 National Democratic Congress Manifesto, the Government’s development agenda, and performance indicators agreed with supervising authorities,” it stated.
Ministers and CEOs were reminded that their assessment will be based on “tangible outcomes, measurable impact, effective service delivery, prudent management of public resources, and successful implementation of government policies.”
The President also disclosed that the Presidency will undertake a comprehensive review of the performance of Ministers and CEOs in due course.
The findings will form a key basis for decisions on retention, reassignment of responsibilities, and any future Cabinet or executive restructuring.
“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 statement added.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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