President John Dramani Mahama has moved to curb the growing trend of public officials receiving awards from private organisations, directing government appointees to refrain from accepting such honours without prior approval from the Presidency.
The directive affects Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions and other political appointees, and comes amid concerns about the credibility and transparency of some award schemes targeting public office holders.
In a statement issued by Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, the Presidency said the President had observed an increasing number of private organisations presenting awards to public officials under categories such as “best-performing”, “most outstanding” and “most influential”.
Presidency Questions Award Schemes
According to the statement, many of the organisations behind such recognitions operate without clearly established standards for assessing public sector performance.
The Presidency expressed concern that some award schemes rely on opaque criteria and questionable evaluation methods, raising doubts about their credibility.
Officials believe the growing popularity of such awards risks creating a distorted picture of government performance and could expose public institutions to criticism and reputational damage.
New Restrictions for Public Officials
Under the directive, public officials have been instructed not to participate in, sponsor, endorse, attend or accept awards from private organisations unless they obtain express approval from the Office of the President.
The order forms part of broader efforts to uphold professionalism, accountability and integrity within public service.
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The Presidency stressed that public office is a position of trust and that performance should be measured through tangible results rather than recognition from private award schemes.
Performance Must Be Based on Results
Government says the true measure of performance lies in service delivery, prudent management of public resources and the successful implementation of policies and programmes.
The statement noted that the Mahama administration remains focused on delivering its development agenda and achieving targets outlined in the National Democratic Congress’ 2024 manifesto.
According to the Presidency, public officials will be assessed based on measurable impact and outcomes rather than ceremonial honours.
Focus on Accountability
The latest directive signals a stronger emphasis on accountability and performance-based governance within the public sector.
Observers say the move is intended to ensure that recognition for public service is grounded in verifiable achievements rather than awards whose selection processes may not be publicly known.
By tightening the rules around private award schemes, the Presidency says it aims to preserve public confidence in government institutions and reinforce the principle that performance must be judged by results.
The directive takes immediate effect and applies to all affected public officials.
