President John Dramani Mahama has directed all government appointees to refrain from participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting awards from private organisations unless they receive prior approval from the Office of the President.
The directive, contained in a letter dated June 8, 2026, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, also revealed that the Presidency will undertake a comprehensive performance review of Ministers of State and Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, a process that could influence future changes within government.
According to the communication, the findings of the review will play a significant role in determining whether appointees remain in office, are reassigned, or become affected by future Cabinet or executive restructuring.
“The President wishes to emphasise that, in due course, the Presidency will undertake a comprehensive review of the performance of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers. The findings of this review shall constitute a key basis for decisions relating to retention in office, reassignment of responsibilities, and any future Cabinet or executive restructuring,” the statement said.
The review is expected to assess ministers and state chief executives against policy objectives, programmes and sector-specific targets outlined in the National Democratic Congress’ 2024 manifesto, the government’s broader development agenda, and performance indicators agreed upon with their supervising authorities.
Officials will also be evaluated on measurable outcomes, service delivery, prudent management of public resources, and the successful implementation of government policies.
The performance assessment forms part of a broader directive aimed at curbing the growing involvement of public officials in private award schemes.
President Mahama expressed concern over what he described as the increasing trend of public office holders receiving honours from organisations that claim to identify and reward the country’s “best-performing,” “most outstanding,” or “most influential” public servants.
According to the Presidency, many of these organisations lack public credibility and operate without clear or verifiable standards for assessing the performance of government 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 directive stated.
The President warned that the proliferation of such awards could damage the image of public service and create misleading perceptions about government performance.
“Consequently, the proliferation of such awards has the potential to undermine the integrity of public service, create misconceptions regarding government performance assessment, and expose the Government to unnecessary public criticism and embarrassment,” the statement added.
Emphasising the importance of accountability in public office, the President noted that recognition should come through measurable achievements rather than privately organised ceremonies.
“Public office is a solemn responsibility entrusted to officials by the people of Ghana,” the note said.
He further stressed that, “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 directive urged all appointees to focus on delivering results and fulfilling their mandates rather than pursuing external recognition.
“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 communication was addressed to all Ministers of State and Chief Executive Officers of state-owned enterprises and copied to the Vice President and the Chief of Staff.
The directive comes amid public debate surrounding the recent Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours held at the Labadi Beach Hotel, where several government appointees received awards. The event generated criticism from sections of the public who questioned the credibility of the award scheme and the criteria used in selecting recipients.
