President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over low compliance with performance contracts among Ghana’s public institutions, revealing that only 72 out of 148 public entities required to sign the agreements have so far met the requirement.
The President said the figures demonstrate that significant governance and accountability challenges remain within parts of Ghana’s public sector and among state-owned and public institutions.
President Mahama made the disclosure on Thursday, September 10, 2026, when he addressed the 2026 SIGA Governing Boards and CEOs Conference.
According to the President, although improvements have been recorded in the governance and management of public entities, a number of institutions continue to fall short of key statutory and administrative requirements.
Public Sector Compliance Remains a Concern
President Mahama identified several areas where compliance remains inadequate, including the submission of audited financial statements, performance contracts, quarterly reports, annual general meetings and employment data.
He disclosed that only 61 public entities submitted their audited financial statements by the statutory deadline of April 30. Several institutions either submitted their accounts late or relied on management and draft financial statements.
The President further revealed that only 71 entities had submitted the required quarterly reports, highlighting continued weaknesses in public sector reporting and accountability.
Compliance with annual general meetings was also identified as a major concern. According to President Mahama, only 37 of the 177 entities expected to organise annual general or stakeholder meetings had fulfilled the requirement.
Employment Data Submissions Decline
President Mahama also raised concerns over the decline in employment data submissions from public institutions.
He revealed that the number of entities submitting employment information fell from 142 in 2024 to 137 in 2025, indicating another area where public sector reporting needs improvement.
The President cautioned governing boards, chief executive officers and public officials against assuming that recent progress means Ghana’s governance challenges have been fully addressed.
Mahama Calls for Greater Accountability
President Mahama stressed the need for public institutions to strengthen compliance with statutory obligations and improve their overall standards of governance.
He warned that improvements recorded so far should not be mistaken for complete success, noting that outstanding compliance gaps remain unacceptable.
“We must not confuse improvement with complete success,” President Mahama said.
The President’s comments come amid renewed efforts to improve governance, transparency, accountability and performance management across Ghana’s public sector.
The State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) continues to play a key role in monitoring the performance of state-owned enterprises and other public entities, with performance contracts serving as an important tool for measuring institutional results and accountability.
Source: newsthemegh.com