'Whenever I received any of such offers, I dismissed them' - Awuah on 'pay-to-play' award

Former Chief Executive Officer of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), now known as GoldBod, Nana Akwasi Awuah, has disclosed that he routinely rejected award offers that required financial commitments while serving as head of the state-owned entity.

In a Facebook post on Monday, June 8, 2026, Awuah said many award organisers approached the company with recognition offers that were often accompanied by sponsorship packages or other financial obligations.

According to him, he dismissed such proposals without directing any action on them.

“Whenever I received any of such award offers, I dismissed them. I would not even minute on them for action to be taken on them,” he wrote.

He added that he regularly informed his management team about such offers and encouraged them to focus on meaningful service rather than external recognition.

Awuah argued that the most valuable form of recognition comes from employees and citizens directly impacted by leadership.

“A true and more fulfilling award will be that which will come from the staff… who are the first immediate people impacted by our leadership,” he stated, while urging public office holders to embrace a leadership style centred on service and national development.

His comment follows, controversies that have erupted following the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards Scheme, held on June 7, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.

The awards ceremony honoured several public officials, including the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, who was named Best Performing Regional Minister for 2026.

Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, received the Overall Best Performing Minister award, while Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, was adjudged Best Male Performing Minister.

Deputy Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, was named Best Deputy Minister.

However, the credibility of the awards scheme has come under scrutiny following allegations that nominees were required to make financial contributions in order to participate in the event.

Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Professor Michael Kpessa-Whyte, in a social media post, has disclosed that he was informed he had been selected as Best CEO and was subsequently encouraged to either sponsor the event with GH¢50,000 or purchase a table for eight at a cost of GH¢25,000.

According to him, the request raised concerns about the integrity of the awards process.

"Out of caution, I advised my staff to contact the organisers and seek clarity. It was only then that we discovered that attendance at the event to receive the supposed honour was tied to payment.

"The options communicated were either a sponsorship package of GH¢50,000 or the purchase of a dinner table of eight at GH¢25,000. In other words, the path to public recognition appeared to have been tied to financial contribution.

"I opted not to be part of it. This experience raises a serious matter of public interest. If an award is credible, it must rest on merit, evidence and transparent evaluation. If a person has genuinely been adjudged deserving of recognition, that recognition should not depend on whether the person, the person's institution, or the public office they occupy can pay for sponsorship or buy a dinner table."

The concerns were echoed by the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, who questioned whether public officials should accept awards from events that seek sponsorships or financial contributions from institutions under their supervision.

"I support recognising public officials who perform their duties well and make a meaningful difference in the lives of Ghanaians. Public service demands sacrifice, commitment and leadership. When public officials deliver exceptional results, we should acknowledge and celebrate their contributions.

"However, I am concerned about the standards that govern such recognition. Citizens place confidence in government when public officials act with integrity and exercise sound judgement. For this reason, we must address not only actual conflicts of interest but also situations that create the perception of impropriety.

"The current debate surrounding the Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards is not simply about those who attended the event or those who received awards. Rather, we should ask a more important question: should public officials receive awards from events that solicit sponsorships or financial contributions from the institutions they supervise or lead?”

Meanwhile, some social media users have criticised the decision to name Linda Ocloo as Best Performing Regional Minister, with some arguing that she did not merit the recognition.

Despite the controversy, several award recipients have celebrated their honours.

Ruth Dela Seddoh, Director-General of the National Service Authority (NSA), won the coveted Best Performing CEO Award for 2026.

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Gomoa Central Member of Parliament, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, also received the Most Impactful New Member of Parliament Award for 2026.

PUBLIC OFFICE, PUBLIC TRUST

I support recognising public officials who perform their duties well and make a meaningful difference in the lives of Ghanaians. Public service demands sacrifice, commitment, and leadership. When public officials deliver exceptional results, we should… pic.twitter.com/TY5xuUM8YY

— Eric Edem Agbana (@edemagbana) June 7, 2026

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