The Embassy of Ghana in Washington,DC has for the first time rewarded three of its local staff for their excellent services to the Embassy and the country for the year-ended, 2004.

Under the newly instituted Distinguished Worker Award, three members of the local staff would be selected and given the award in December at the end of the year's party.Their selection would be based on ability to shoulder additional responsibilities, puntuality to work and an exhibition of a high sense of client service.

The 2004 winners were were Daniel Santos ( Ambassador's Driver), Horace Dei, Higher Executive Officer at the Public Affairs Department and Ms.Maud Marshall( Social Secretary).The first received a TV set and the last two, fridges, in addition to citations read by the Deputy Chief of mission, Mr. Isaac Aggrey. The Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Ivor Agyeman-Duah explained that the awards were very competitive and generally symbolised management's appreciation to the local staff.

In his presentation of the gifts to the winners, Ambassador Fritz Kwabena Poku said, whilst a sign of appreciation to the local staff, it was also a wake-up call to dedication to duty.He urged all staff-home-based and local to remeber that they had a responsible in whatever assigned role in making the Kufuor government fulfil its stated goals.