Communication and Public Relations professional and National Democratic Congress (NDC) activist Nii Amarh Amarteifio has criticised government appointees for attending and accepting honours from what he describes as an “unverified awards scheme,” arguing that the event was poorly timed given the severe flooding situation in parts of Accra.
His comments follow the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours ceremony held in Accra on Saturday, where several ministers and presidential appointees received awards for what organisers described as outstanding performance in public service.
However, Mr Amarteifio has questioned the credibility and relevance of the awards, suggesting that public officials should not rely on privately organised recognition schemes to validate their performance in office.
He argued that the timing of the event, which coincided with heavy flooding in the capital, made the participation of government officials particularly questionable, especially as parts of the city were dealing with disruption and property damage.
According to him, public office is assessed through measurable outcomes, accountability, and service delivery to citizens, rather than awards from privately organised platforms.
He also questioned the vetting process behind the awards scheme, including whether adequate background checks were conducted on the organisers before government officials agreed to participate.
Mr Amarteifio further argued that ministerial performance is ultimately evaluated by the President and the Ghanaian public, not by independent or privately run award programmes.
He expressed concern that attendance at such events could undermine public perception of government focus, particularly during periods of crisis such as flooding in the capital.
He maintained that attention should remain on addressing pressing national challenges rather than engaging in ceremonial recognitions, urging appointees to prioritise service delivery and accountability.
“Public office is measured by results and impact, not awards,” he stressed, calling on officials to remain focused on their core responsibilities.
