Full list of winners as Finance Minister tops 6th Ministers of State Excellence Honours

President John Dramani Mahama has directed all ministers of state, chief executive officers of state institutions, and other political appointees to stop accepting awards from private organisations unless the Office of the President expressly authorises them.

The directive follows the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel Convention Centre in Accra.

Full list of winners at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours:

Overall Best Minister – Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister for Finance
Best Male Performing Minister – Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
Best Regional Minister – Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, Greater Accra Regional Minister
Best Deputy Minister – Dorcas Affo-Toffey, Deputy Minister for Transport
Best Female Minister – Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Eastern Regional Minister
Most Impactful New Member of Parliament of the Year – Kwame Asare Obeng (A Plus)
Best MP – Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
Best Female CEO – Ruth Dela Seddoh, National Service Authority
Best Performing CEO of the Year – Julius Neequaye Kotey, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority
Best Performing CEO (State Companies) – Prof. Ransford Gyampo
Best Performing CEO – Prof. George Agyei, Ghana Standards Authority

The ceremony brought together ministers of state, deputy ministers, CEOs of state institutions, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, and other stakeholders in governance and public administration.

Reason for the directive

The Presidency said it noted with concern the increasing trend of public officials participating in and accepting awards from private organisations that recognise them as “best-performing”, “most outstanding”, or “most influential” public office holders.

According to the Office of the President, many of 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 directive covers participation, sponsorship, endorsement, attendance, and acceptance of such awards.

Controversy over KPI and payments

The President’s directive followed controversy about the Key Performance Index used by organisers and whether monetary payments were tied to awards.

The Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority, Prof. Michael Kpessa-Whyte, earlier raised concerns about the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours. He said the nomination letter he received after being selected as Best CEO of the Year offered two options: a sponsorship package of GH¢50,000 for SIGA, or the purchase of a dinner table of eight at GH¢25,000.

The directive takes immediate effect and applies to all political appointees across government.

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Seth Yeboah

Seth Yeboah, affectionately called Nana Kwadwo Yeboah-Asiamah is a Ghanaian journalist and humanitarian whose work sits at the intersection of media, technology, and social welfare. He comes from Asante Asokore Akokoaso, located in the Sekyere East District of the Ashanti Region. Known for his commitment to national development and community empowerment, Yeboah has carved out a unique path as both a truth-seeker in journalism and a digital architect in the IT sector.

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