A political storm is brewing with netizens on X demanding a probe into the 2026 Ministers of State Awards, with allegations and counter-allegations turning the ceremony into a battlefield of credibility.
Following Linda Ocloo, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, winning the Best Regional Minister Award at the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards, and the Lands Minister Kofi Buah also shockingly picking up the Best Minister award despite the escalating galamsey menace, the awards scheme has come under the microscope.
The event was held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel, bringing together government officials, traditional leaders and stakeholders.
Reports suggest the awards recognised individuals across various sectors for their contributions to governance and national development.
Other winners on the night were the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, who received the Overall Best Performing Minister award; Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who was named Best Male Performing Minister for 2026; and Dorcas Toffey, the Deputy Minister of Transport, who emerged as Best Deputy Minister at the awards ceremony.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, was adjudged Best Female Minister.
A dramatic twist has emerged with the CEO of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Kpessa-Whyte, blowing the alarm on the controversial “Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours”.
According to the SIGA boss, he was asked to pay to receive an award at the “Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours”.
Kpessa-Whyte highlighted that attendance at the event to receive the supposed honour was tied to payment either of a sponsorship package of GH¢50,000 or the purchase of a dinner table of eight at GH¢25,000.
In a post shared by Hubert Tieku Esq, the SIGA boss, Kpessa-Whyte, is said to have said, “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 for 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.”
Some Ghanaians on social media are now calling for a probe into the alleged ‘Cash For Awards’.
Seth Doe, Esq highlighted that every appointee who took an award is a culprit for conflict of interest.
According to him, in a developed country, this amounts to “bribery for recognition”.
In his post, he wrote, “Every person who took an award is a culprit for conflict of interest. In a working or developed country, this amounts to “bribery for recognition”. You’re incompetent, yet you’re using the money you earned as a public servant of the state to pay for an award to create a false impression that you’re working.
This is a severe breach of the Code of Conduct for Ministers and CEOs of State Bodies because it means that, instead of doing the actual work, these people will rather be negligent and resort to paying and sponsoring awards to create a false impression on social media and to people beyond Ghana that they are working”.
Furthermore, another X user called on President Mahama to institute an investigation and every state head or Minister/Deputy who paid to justify or get sacked.
He wrote, “If it is confirmed that BIG EVENTS GHANA informed attendees to sponsor for 50,000 GHS or buy a table for 25,000 GHS, the President should institute an investigation and every state head or Minister/Deputy who paid should justify or get sacked.
Governance is serious business, not for Jokers”.
In another post, a netizen identified as Kwaku Asante wrote, “Pure jokes.
These awards are for sale, and we all know it.
It’s time for the government to direct appointees not to engage with any of these award-preneurs.
As far back as last year, when government appointees were barely 5-6 months in office, some of them were winning best CEOs, best this, best that. What paa had they done while in office to win those awards and get those recognitions?
We like awards too much, so everyone is organising an awards show and selling it to the highest bidder. Nonsense!”.
In addition, NPP activist Gen Buhari has also called on the Chief of Staff to act on the awards saying, “Chief of Staff must act on the “Cash for award Saga” organized for Ministers of state last night as revealed by Kpessa Whyte the SIGA Boss, if this Government throughly mean to reset this Country then they must crack the whip, True leadership is not bought at GH¢25,000 or GH¢50,000 per table. It is earned through sacrifice, results, and unwavering commitment to the public good”.
See the post below:
Every person who took an award is a culprit for conflict of interest. In a working or developed country this amounts to “bribery for recognition”. You’re incompetent yet you’re using the money you earned as a public servant of the state to pay for an award to create a false… https://t.co/iHn7O2fYuw
— Seth Doe Esq (@seth_doe22) June 7, 2026
If it is confirmed BIG EVENTS GHANA informed attendees to sponsor for 50,000 GHS or buy a table for 25,000 GHS, the President should institute an investigation and every state head or Minister/Deputy who paid justify or get sacked
— Austine (@obiMpenaAustine) June 7, 2026
Governance is serious business not for Jokers
Pure jokes.
— Kwaku Asante (@kwakuasanteb) June 7, 2026
These awards are for sale and we all know it.
It's time for the government to direct appointees not to engage with any of these award-preneurs.
As far back as last year, when government appointees were barely 5-6 months in office, some of them were winning best… https://t.co/b6LMSK56Sm
“Chief of Staff must act on the “Cash for award Saga” organized for Ministers of state last night as revealed by Kpessa Whyte the SIGA Boss, if this Government throughly mean to reset this Country then they must crack the whip, True leadership is not bought at GH¢25,000 or… pic.twitter.com/Yr2xnuOFnE
— Gen. Buhari (@Gen_Buhari_) June 7, 2026
