The Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Prof Michael Kpessa-Whyte, has rejected a “Best CEO of the Year” award after discovering that receiving the honour was contingent on a financial contribution.
In an opinion piece published on June 7, 2026, Prof Kpessa-Whyte disclosed that he received a letter from an organisation identifying itself as the Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Honours, informing him of his selection and inviting him to an awards ceremony in Accra.
However, he noted that the communication lacked critical details about the award, including the criteria for selection, the period under review, the composition of the judging panel, and the identities of other nominees.
“I did not know which year the award covered. I did not know the criteria used for the assessment. I did not know the composition of the assessment panel,” he stated, raising concerns about the transparency and credibility of the process.
According to him, further inquiries by his office revealed that participation in the event required payment. The organisers reportedly offered two options: a sponsorship package of GH¢50,000 or the purchase of a dinner table for eight at GH¢25,000.
The revelation, he said, fundamentally undermined the integrity of the award scheme.
“In other words, the path to public recognition appeared to have been tied to financial contribution. I opted not to be part of it,” Prof Kpessa-Whyte said.
He stressed that recognition in public service should be grounded in merit, measurable performance, and transparent evaluation processes rather than financial capacity.
Prof Kpessa-Whyte further urged public officials and institutions to scrutinise award schemes thoroughly before associating with them, particularly where there is a lack of clarity around methodology and funding.
“Public service should be measured by results and impact, not plaques and ceremonial honours,” he noted, adding that history would judge leaders based on their contributions to national development rather than the number of awards they accumulate.
His comments come in the wake of the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards, held on June 7, 2026, in Accra, where several public officials were honoured for their contributions to governance and public service.
The incident has since sparked debate about the credibility of some award schemes and the growing concern over what critics describe as “pay-to-play” recognition practices within public and corporate circles.
