SOEs’ losses can no longer be absorbed into national budget – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has delivered a firm message to the heads of Ghana's state-owned enterprises, declaring that the government will no longer allow such institutions to continuously operate at a loss without providing value to the nation. At a conference on September 10, 2026, Mahama emphasized that state ownership must result in tangible benefits for Ghanaian citizens.

He stated, "Ownership must produce public value. Every institution, every institution represented here must demonstrate with credible evidence the value that it has created for the Ghanaian people."

The President's administration has already begun to change its approach to state enterprises, with performance, accountability, and profitability now seen as crucial indicators of success. Mahama reiterated this commitment during meetings with chief executives in March 2025 and again with Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang in March 2026. He made it clear that persistent losses could no longer be quietly absorbed into the national budget, and that leadership positions should be linked to measurable value and profits.

These remarks place significant pressure on the leadership of state-owned enterprises, signaling that simply managing an institution will no longer be sufficient to justify its existence. The government now expects public enterprises to demonstrate clear economic and social returns, with the performance of their leaders assessed against concrete outcomes.

This stance is part of the broader government effort to increase accountability in the management of state-owned enterprises and lessen the financial strain caused by their ongoing losses.