Veteran filmmaker Socrate Safo has criticised public officials who accept awards from private organisations without verifying the credibility of the organisers.
His comments follow public criticism of the 6th Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards held on June 6, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel, where several government officials, including Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo and Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, received honours.
Speaking in a recent media interview on Okay FM, Socrate Safo said some public officials appear more interested in recognition than in focusing on their responsibilities.
“What are you expecting? This is Ghana for us. When we stop focusing on the work and get excited about trends, this is what happens. When anybody calls you and says that there is an award for you, can’t you question it?”
He referenced the Dr UN Awards controversy, noting that some individuals who criticised celebrities for accepting those awards were later seen receiving honours at the ministers’ awards event.
“What hurts me is that we saw something similar with the Dr UN Awards. One particular person who criticised those who fell victim to the Dr UN Awards was one of those whom I saw receiving the minister’s awards.”
According to Socrates, public officials who perform their duties effectively will receive recognition from the people they serve rather than from questionable award schemes.
Meanwhile, the Office of the President has directed all ministers of state, chief executive officers of state institutions and other political appointees to refrain from accepting awards from private organisations without prior authorisation.
The directive stated that the performance of public officials would be assessed based on tangible outcomes, measurable impact and effective service delivery rather than privately organised award ceremonies with unverifiable criteria.
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