President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to list 10 state-owned enterprises (SOEs) on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) as part of efforts to strengthen corporate governance, improve accountability and reduce political interference in the management of state companies.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, President Mahama explained that listing the companies on the stock market would introduce changes to how the enterprises are managed.
According to the President, the Ghana Stock Exchange listing would make it more difficult for successive governments to arbitrarily remove company management or dissolve boards, thereby promoting greater stability and accountability in state-owned enterprises.
Mahama Highlights SOE Governance Reforms
President Mahama noted that Ghana’s state-owned enterprises have historically faced concerns over management practices and financial performance, including demands for salary increases and bonuses even when some companies were recording losses.
He said measures implemented through the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) have contributed to improved performance across the state-owned enterprise sector.
The latest 2025 State Ownership Report, published by SIGA in August 2026, provides an assessment of the financial and operational performance of Ghana’s state-owned enterprises, joint venture companies and other state entities.
Why Ghana Plans to List 10 SOEs
President Mahama identified improved corporate governance and reduced political interference as key reasons behind the planned listing of the 10 state-owned enterprises.
He explained that placing more state-owned companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange would strengthen oversight and make it harder for governments to interfere with boards and management.
The proposed SOE listings could also create new investment opportunities for Ghanaians, including members of the Ghanaian diaspora, by allowing them to acquire shares in selected state-owned companies through the local capital market.
Ghana Stock Exchange and SOE Investment
The planned listings form part of broader efforts to improve the financial performance, transparency and governance of state-owned enterprises in Ghana.
SIGA’s mandate includes promoting shareholder value, financial sustainability and good corporate governance across Ghana’s state-owned enterprises, joint ventures and other state entities.
If implemented, the planned 10 SOE listings on the Ghana Stock Exchange could also deepen Ghana’s capital market by increasing the number of companies available to local and diaspora investors.
The government is therefore positioning the initiative as part of wider SOE reforms, corporate governance improvements and efforts to strengthen the performance of state-owned enterprises in Ghana.
Source: newsthemegh.com