President John Dramani Mahama said on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York that listing ten state‑owned enterprises (SOEs) on the Ghana Stock Exchange will improve governance and make political interference in their management more difficult.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, the president explained that a public listing would change how the companies are run and make it harder for successive governments to remove management or dissolve boards at will.
Mahama noted that SOEs have historically enjoyed guaranteed salaries and benefits regardless of performance, and that even when they operate at a loss they still demand salary increments and bonuses.
He highlighted that the financial performance of Ghana’s SOEs has improved under the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), with the sector posting a net profit of almost GH¢19 billion in the latest reporting period, and a net profit after tax of GH¢19.8 billion in SIGA’s 2025 State Ownership Report.
Despite the gains, the president said the government will proceed with the listings, citing improved governance and reduced political interference as the two main objectives.
He added that listing the companies would create investment opportunities for Ghanaians and the diaspora through the Ghana Stock Exchange.
The move is part of wider efforts to improve governance and performance across the state‑owned enterprise sector, following prior engagement between the Ghana Stock Exchange and SIGA on potential listings and capital raising.
