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Refrain from awards from doubtful organisers – President Mahama to all appointees
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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 Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has clarified that former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta remains the subject of criminal proceedings in Ghana and is still wanted under a valid arrest warrant issued by the High Court in Accra.
In a public notice, the OSP said it had taken note of a transcript of a hearing from a United States immigration court that has been circulated by some media organisations.
According to the office, the document has been interpreted by some to suggest that Mr. Ofori-Atta has not been credibly charged or linked to any wrongdoing in Ghana.
The OSP rejected that interpretation, explaining that it is not involved in Mr. Ofori-Atta’s immigration proceedings in the United States.
It said its involvement relates only to extradition proceedings, which are being handled through Ghana’s Attorney-General as the country’s central authority.
According to the OSP, the extradition documents are not before the US immigration court and the court has no authority to determine whether the criminal charges against Mr. Ofori-Atta are credible.
“The credibility or otherwise of the criminal charges against Mr. Ofori-Atta is a matter for determination by the courts in Ghana,” the OSP stated.
The office explained that there are three separate legal proceedings involving the former minister.
These include the immigration proceedings in the United States concerning his immigration status, extradition proceedings to determine whether he should be returned to Ghana, and the criminal case before the High Court in Accra involving corruption and corruption-related offences.
The OSP reiterated that Mr. Ofori-Atta remains before the High Court in Accra as an accused person and that a valid warrant has been issued for his arrest.
It maintained that he remains a fugitive from justice in Ghana and is required to appear before the High Court to answer the charges against him.
The Special Prosecutor also stressed that the criminal proceedings in Ghana would continue in accordance with the law and the directives of the High Court, whether or not Mr. Ofori-Atta is physically present in the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Telecel Ghana has announced that it has resolved the intermittent challenges that affected its voice and data services.
In a message to customers, the telecommunications company announced that its network services had been fully restored after experiencing temporary disruptions.
“We are pleased to inform you that intermittent challenges with our voice and data services have been resolved,” the company said.
Telecel apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused by the service interruptions and thanked them for their patience during the period.
“We appreciate your patience and apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused,” the company added.
The company assured customers of its commitment to providing reliable communication services under its slogan, “Connecting Energies.”
By: Jacob Aggrey
