President John Dramani Mahama has directed all Ministers of State, Chief Executives of State Institutions, and political appointees to stop accepting awards from private organisations without express approval from the Presidency.

In a letter signed by Secretary to the President Dr. Callistus Mahama, the President expressed concern over the growing trend of public officials receiving “best-performing” and “most influential” awards from little-known private bodies.

The letter noted that most of these organisations lack public credibility, transparent criteria, or verifiable methods for assessing performance.

The President warned that such awards risk undermining public service integrity, creating false impressions about government performance, and exposing the administration to criticism.

“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.

Officials have now been ordered to refrain from participating in, sponsoring, endorsing, attending, or accepting awards from such organisations unless authorised by the Office of the President.

The President stressed that government performance will be judged by results, not ceremonies.

The true measure, he said, is delivery on the 2024 NDC Manifesto, government’s development agenda, and sector-specific targets agreed with supervising authorities.

According to him, assessment will focus on tangible outcomes, service delivery, prudent use of public resources, and policy implementation.

He also announced that the Presidency will soon conduct a comprehensive performance review of Ministers and Chief Executives.

The findings will inform decisions on retention, reassignment, and any future Cabinet or executive reshuffle.

Public officials have been urged to focus on executing their mandates and delivering results for Ghanaians, rather than chasing recognition from questionable external schemes.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KOKMA) has demolished a dilapidated building at Osu that has remained in a deteriorated state for nearly 70 years.

The demolition of the structure followed several engagements between the Assembly, the police and the occupants of the property to ensure the exercise was carried out safely.

The action comes days after a similar building collapsed at Avenor, killing one person and leaving others injured, raising concerns about the safety of ageing structures across the capital.

The demolition, which took place on Monday, June 8, 2026, was carried out peacefully without any confrontation from residents or occupants of the area.

Speaking to the media, the Municipal Chief Executive for the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, Alfred Allotey-Gaisie, said the assembly had repeatedly warned occupants of the building to vacate the premises due to the danger it posed.

He explained that the assembly had earlier forced the occupants to move out to enable officials to carry out the demolition safely.

He noted that there was a slight delay in the exercise because power had to be disconnected by the Electricity Company of Ghana, while telecommunications operators were also engaged to protect fibre cables in the area.

Mr. Allotey-Gaisie said no casualties had been recorded, adding that nearby buildings were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.

He stated that the structure was believed to be more than 70 years old and had deteriorated over time, making it unsafe for continued occupation.

He further explained that the assembly’s building permit and inspection systems were intended to ensure proper supervision of construction projects and prevent such situations in the future.

According to him, any new development on the site would be expected to meet current building standards.

Meanwhile, one of the owners of the demolished property, Walter Hammond, explained that the family had already planned to pull down the building because of its age and poor condition before the assembly intervened.

He said although the family did not directly invite the assembly to undertake the demolition, officials had earlier marked the building and recommended its removal.

He described the assembly’s intervention as a step in the right direction and disclosed that all family members supported the exercise.

Mr. Hammond advised owners of weak and ageing structures to demolish them before assemblies are compelled to intervene, warning that delays could lead to legal disputes and other complications.

He added that following the demolition, the family intended to either lease or sell the property to interested investors.

Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly Engineer, Davor Wonder, mentioned that the assembly had identified about three weak structures within the municipality for possible demolition.

He explained that buildings are not demolished solely based on their appearance, stressing that structural integrity assessments must first be conducted to determine whether a structure is unsafe.

Mr. Wonder said the assembly follows due process before carrying out demolitions to avoid disputes and ensure decisions are based on professional assessments.

On preparations for the rainy season, he revealed that the assembly had intensified the desilting of drains across parts of the municipality to improve the flow of stormwater and reduce flooding.

A resident in the area revealed that he was pleased with the demolition because the building posed a serious threat to lives and property.

The resident noted that the structure was located at a busy junction used by motorists and pedestrians, adding that its poor condition was obvious and that its demolition would help prevent a possible tragedy.

By: Jacob Aggrey