President John Mahama has directed all Ministers of State, Chief Executive Officers of state institutions, and other political appointees to refrain from participating in, sponsoring, or accepting awards from private organisations unless permission is expressly granted by the Office of the President.
The directive was issued by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama, on Monday, following an awards ceremony over the weekend that received backlash from the public.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Linda Ocloo has won the Best Regional Minister Award at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards.
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“For me it’s not even about the timing. I simply don’t believe that there should ever be an awards event for ministers,” wrote one person on X.
According to the Presidency, 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.
It added that the performance of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers would be assessed based on “tangible outcomes, measurable impact, effective service delivery, prudent management of public resources, and the successful implementation of government policies and programmes.”
The Office also disclosed that a comprehensive review of the performance of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers would be conducted in due course, with the findings serving as a key basis for decisions on retention in office, reassignment of responsibilities, and future executive restructuring.