Jubilee House has issued a firm directive to all Ministers, Chief Executives, and political appointees, banning participation in private award schemes and signaling an impending performance review that could trigger a major reshuffle.
In a circular dated June 8, 2026, signed by Secretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama, the Presidency expressed concern over what it described as a growing culture of public officials accepting honours from private organisations. The directive comes amid public criticism following the recent “6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours” ceremony, where several government appointees received awards from a little-known private entity .
The Ban on Private Awards
President John Dramani Mahama has instructed all appointees to “refrain from participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting awards” from private organisations unless expressly authorised by the Office of the President .
The directive noted that many of these award-giving bodies are “largely unknown to the public,” possess “unclear credentials,” and lack transparent or verifiable criteria for assessing performance . The Presidency warned that such engagements risk “undermining the integrity of public service, create misconceptions regarding government performance assessment, and expose the Government to unnecessary public criticism and embarrassment” .
“Public office is a solemn responsibility entrusted to officials by the people of Ghana. Performance cannot be measured by privately organised ceremonies or commercial award schemes whose standards are neither established nor subject to public scrutiny,” the directive stated emphatically .
Performance-Based Governance
In a clear shift toward results-driven governance, the Presidency announced that an upcoming comprehensive performance review of Ministers and Chief Executive Officers will determine retention, reassignment, or removal from office .
The review will assess officials based on “tangible outcomes, measurable impact, effective service delivery, prudent management of public resources, and the successful implementation of Government policies and programmes” . The 2024 NDC Manifesto and agreed sector-specific targets will serve as key benchmarks .
Context and Recent Developments
The directive aligns with President Mahama’s broader agenda to streamline government operations. The administration has already reduced political appointees at the Presidency from 357 to 233 . Recent ministerial changes have seen Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo moved from the Labour Ministry to the Office of the President as Minister of State for Special Initiatives, swapping roles with Emmanuel Agyekum .
Additionally, performance assessments of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) revealed that 143 out of 261 assemblies fell short of expectations, prompting calls for stricter accountability measures .
A Clear Message
The Presidency’s message is unambiguous: governance is about service delivery, not personal branding. Public officials have been urged to “devote their full attention to the execution of their mandates and the delivery of results for the people of Ghana” rather than seeking recognition from questionable external schemes .
The directive, copied to the Vice President and the Chief of Staff, serves as a warning to all appointees that the President is closely monitoring performance and will take “any further action necessary to safeguard the integrity, effectiveness, and responsiveness of his Administration” [citation:original].
