Ghana's President Mahama has warned boards of state-owned enterprises against dipping into public funds to pay for perks, according to graphic.com.gh. The warning was delivered alongside a separate caution that board chairs should not take on executive roles, UA.NEWS reports.
Speaking on the state of public entities, Mahama said only 72 of 148 public entities have signed performance contracts, according to 3News. The figure points to a gap of 76 entities that have not yet committed to the agreements.
The president also linked pay to results. Graphic.com.gh reports that a proposed Independent Public Emoluments Commission, which would replace Fair Wages, is intended to tie the salaries of SOE staff to how their organisations perform.
In a related development, board chairs and chief executives under the State Interests and Governance Authority signed ten commitments covering finance and governance, NewsGhana reports. The pledges were described as landmark by the outlet.
Together, the statements and the signing point to a push to tighten oversight of Ghana's state enterprises, where board spending and executive mandates have drawn scrutiny. Mahama's remarks place both the money and the roles of board members in focus, while the low number of signed performance contracts suggests the accountability framework is not yet fully in place.
What to watch next: whether the remaining 76 public entities sign performance contracts, and how the proposed emoluments commission takes shape.
