President Mahama bans ministers and CEOs from accepting private awards without presidential approval

• President Mahama has directed ministers, CEOs, and public officials to stop accepting private awards without prior approval from the Presidency.

• The move follows concerns about the credibility and lack of transparency of private award schemes used to rate public officials.

• The directive came after public criticism of awards presented at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards.

President John Dramani Mahama has directed all Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state institutions, and political appointees to refrain from accepting awards from private organisations unless expressly authorised by the Office of the President.

The directive, communicated through a statement signed by Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama on June 8, 2026, follows growing concerns within government over what the Presidency describes as an increasing trend of public officials participating in privately organised award schemes that label them as “best-performing,” “most outstanding,” or “most influential” office holders.

According to the Presidency, many of these award-giving organisations have unclear credentials, questionable methodologies, and little public recognition, raising concerns about their credibility and the standards used in evaluating public officials.

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The statement noted that in several instances, there is no transparent, objective, or verifiable process for assessing the performance of officials receiving such honours.

The Presidency stressed that public office is a responsibility entrusted to officials by the people of Ghana and should not be measured by privately organised ceremonies or commercial recognition schemes.

Government argues that the performance of Ministers and CEOs cannot be determined by self-appointed rating bodies whose methodologies are not publicly known or subject to scrutiny.

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As a result, President Mahama has directed all political appointees to refrain from participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting awards from such organisations without prior approval from the Presidency.

The move appears aimed at ensuring greater accountability and preventing public officials from using unofficial recognition schemes to validate their performance in office.

Instead of private recognition, the Presidency says the performance of Ministers and CEOs will be judged based on measurable outcomes and service delivery.

According to the statement, government appointees will be evaluated on their ability to meet policy objectives, deliver sector-specific targets, effectively manage public resources, and implement programmes outlined in the 2024 National Democratic Congress (NDC) Manifesto and the government’s broader development agenda.

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The Presidency further disclosed that a comprehensive performance review of Ministers and CEOs will be conducted in due course.

The findings of this review, the statement said, will play a significant role in decisions regarding retention in office, reassignment of responsibilities, and future Cabinet or executive reshuffles.

President Mahama also encouraged public officials to devote their attention to delivering results for Ghanaians rather than seeking recognition from external award schemes of questionable credibility.

The directive comes just days after several government appointees were given awards at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards, a ceremony that has since attracted significant public criticism and debate over the credibility and standards of such recognitions.