Presidency bans ministers, CEOs from accepting private awards without approval
Accra, Ghana
The Office of the President has directed all Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, and political appointees to stop accepting awards from private organisations without prior approval.
The directive, signed by Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, Ph.D., and dated June 8, 2026, cites concerns over the growing trend of public officials receiving “best-performing”, “most outstanding”, and “most influential” awards.
Why the Ban?
According to the letter from Jubilee House, many of the awarding organisations are “largely unknown to the public” with unclear credentials. The Presidency says there are no transparent, objective, or verifiable criteria for assessing performance. This, it warns, could undermine the integrity of public service and create misconceptions about government performance.
“Public office is a solemn responsibility entrusted to officials by the people of Ghana,” the circular stated. “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.”
New Directive to Appointees
President John Dramani Mahama has therefore directed that all Ministers, CEOs of state institutions, and political appointees must refrain from:
1. Participating in private award schemes
2. Sponsoring or endorsing such events
3. Attending or accepting awards from them
The only exception is if they receive express authorisation from the Office of the President.
Performance to Be Measured by Results
The government stressed that the true measure of performance will be based on delivery, not awards.
Ministers and CEOs will be assessed on:
- Fulfillment of policy objectives in the 2024 NDC Manifesto Sector-specific targets and agreed performance indicators
- Tangible outcomes and measurable impact
- Prudent management of public resources
- Effective service delivery and implementation of government programmes
Performance Review Coming
The Presidency also announced it will undertake a comprehensive review of all Ministers and CEOs “in due course.”
Findings from the review will guide decisions on retention in office, reassignment of responsibilities, and any future Cabinet or executive restructuring.
Officials have been urged to focus on their mandates instead of external recognition schemes of “questionable credibility.”
The circular was distributed to all Ministers of State and CEOs of State-Owned Enterprises. Copies went to the Vice President and Chief of Staff at Jubilee House.
Read the full statement below:
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