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.
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 described as “best-performing”, “most outstanding”, or “most influential” office holders.
According to the Presidency, many of these organisations are largely unknown, with unclear credentials and no 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.”
It warned that such practices risk undermining the integrity of public service, creating misconceptions about government performance, and exposing the government to public criticism and embarrassment.
The Presidency stressed that public office is a solemn responsibility and that performance cannot be measured by privately organised ceremonies or commercial award schemes lacking established standards and public scrutiny.
The Presidency has, therefore, directed that all public officials “refrain from participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting awards from such organisations unless expressly authorised by the Office of the President.”
The statement added that government remains focused on delivering its policy commitments and development agenda, particularly those outlined in the 2024 National Democratic Congress manifesto and agreed performance targets.
It further noted that the true measure of performance of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers will be based on “tangible outcomes, measurable impact, effective service delivery, prudent management of public resources, and the successful implementation of government policies and programmes.”
The Presidency also disclosed that a comprehensive performance review of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers will be conducted in due course, and its findings will guide decisions on retention, reassignment, and future restructuring.
Public officials were therefore urged to focus on their core mandates and service delivery rather than seeking recognition from external award schemes deemed to have questionable credibility.
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