President John Dramani Mahama has issued a firm directive to the leadership of state-owned enterprises, signaling a significant shift in government policy regarding the management of these institutions. Speaking at a conference on Thursday, September 10, 2026, the President emphasized that government will no longer tolerate persistent losses without demonstrable value to Ghanaians. This directive represents a considerable tightening of the administration’s approach to overseeing public enterprises, moving away from a passive acceptance of losses into a proactive focus on measurable benefits.
According to President Mahama, ownership of state-owned enterprises must inherently produce public value. He stated unequivocally that every institution represented – including SIGA – must provide credible evidence of the value it has created for the Ghanaian people. This isn’t simply about maintaining operational status; it’s about generating tangible economic and social returns. The President highlighted that his administration has already begun a fundamental re-evaluation of the relationship between government and its enterprises, prioritizing performance, accountability, and profitability as core measures of success.
Specifically, President Mahama emphasized during a meeting with Chief Executives in March 2025 that the relationship must be reset. He asserted that persistent losses could no longer be quietly absorbed into the national budget and that SIGA had become an effective ownership and performance institution, with leadership positions tied to measurable value and profits. He further reinforced this commitment during a conversation with Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang in March 2026, underscoring the expectation that managing state enterprises will no longer be a passive exercise.
The President’s remarks underscore a deliberate shift in priorities. He stated that government will increasingly expect public enterprises to demonstrate clear economic and social returns, with the performance of their leaders rigorously assessed against tangible outcomes. This includes a heightened emphasis on ensuring that the contributions of leadership positions are directly linked to the positive impact they have on the Ghanaian economy and the lives of citizens. The administration’s stance is part of a broader effort to strengthen accountability within the management of state-owned enterprises and significantly reduce the financial burden their persistent losses place on the state finances, aiming to ensure greater transparency and effectiveness in the utilization of public resources. The commitment to these measures is a key component of the government’s strategy to foster sustainable economic growth and improve the lives of Ghanaians.
Stakeholders within the public sector are expected to understand the implications of this directive. The shift towards a performance-driven approach will likely necessitate a significant overhaul of existing management practices and a renewed focus on generating demonstrable value for the Ghanaian people.
“This is a crucial step towards ensuring that our state-owned enterprises contribute meaningfully to the nation’s prosperity,” President Mahama stated. The long-term consequences of this policy change remain to be fully assessed, but it undoubtedly represents a significant shift in the government’s strategy for managing and overseeing the country’s critical economic assets.
Source: Adom Online
Date: October 26, 2026
Tags: SOE, Governance, Economy, Public Enterprises, Accountability
Watch Related Video
Source: Adom Online
