Prez. Mahama Issues Firm April Deadline for SOEs
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fighting corruption as a central pillar of the Reset Agenda, stressing that holders of public office must remain answerable to the citizens who entrust them with power.
Speaking during an official visit to Zambia, the President made it clear that wrongdoing in public office would not be tolerated, assuring that those found culpable would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law, without fear or favour. He described accountability as essential to restoring public confidence in governance and strengthening state institutions.
As part of this renewed push for transparency, President Mahama issued a firm directive to Chief Executive Officers of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), ordering them to submit their audited accounts and annual reports by the end of April 2026. He warned that failure to meet the deadline would attract consequences.
The President announced the directive while engaging with members of the Ghanaian community in Zambia. He expressed concern that several SOE’s have consistently failed to meet their statutory reporting obligations, some for as long as seven to eight years, a situation he said has weakened accountability in the public sector.
According to President Mahama, the persistent neglect of annual reporting requirements is unacceptable and undermines efforts to promote good governance. He stated that his administration has now set clear timelines to bring an end to the culture of non-compliance.
He cautioned that the April deadline must be taken seriously, emphasizing that all audits and annual reports are expected to be completed and submitted by that date. While he stopped short of detailing the exact penalties that would be imposed on defaulters, his message was unmistakable.
“I will not spell out what the consequences will be,” the President said, underscoring the gravity of the directive and signaling that decisive action would follow against any SOE leadership that fails to comply.
President Mahama maintained that enforcing accountability across state institutions is critical to resetting the country’s governance framework and ensuring that public resources are managed responsibly for the benefit of all citizens.
