The Minister for Food and Agriculture and Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, has been shortlisted for the 2026 Minister of the Year Award, alongside five other Cabinet Ministers in recognition of their performance across key sectors of governance.

The shortlist follows a process of public nominations and performance-based evaluations that assessed ministerial delivery during the 2025 operational year.

The awards scheme seeks to spotlight public officials whose work has demonstrated measurable impact on national development.

Other ministers nominated include Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister for Finance, recognised for his role in fiscal stabilisation and debt management; Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, for reforms aimed at improving access and technical education; and Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, for interventions in natural resource governance and the fight against illegal mining.

The list is completed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, acknowledged for strengthening Ghana’s diplomatic and diaspora engagement, and Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Industry and Agribusiness, for initiatives supporting industrial growth and trade facilitation.

Organisers of the awards say all six nominees will receive individual recognition on the night, while one will ultimately be crowned Minister of the Year 2025.

They explained that the 2025 review period was significant for Ghana’s economic recovery agenda, with notable interventions across agriculture, finance, education, trade, natural resources, and foreign affairs.

According to the organisers, the awards are designed not as a popularity contest but as a governance accountability mechanism that evaluates ministers based on delivery against mandate, stakeholder feedback, and measurable national impact.

They added that the initiative seeks to promote performance-driven leadership in public service, restore public confidence in governance, and inspire emerging leaders through examples of results-oriented leadership.

The ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the La Palm Beach Convention Centre in Accra, and is expected to bring together government officials, diplomats, private sector leaders, civil society actors, and members of the media.

Media accreditation, table reservations, and partnership enquiries are currently ongoing through the awards secretariat ahead of the event.