Speaking at the opening session of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) fifth anniversary celebration in Kwahu on Thursday, President Akufo-Addo said that the government’s aim to make the public sector more resilient was intended to boost performance and deliver better services to citizens.
He emphasized the importance of transforming the public sector to ensure that it was more efficient and effective in delivering quality services to the populace.
SIGA, established in 2019 by Act 990, is a centralized oversight body that aims to facilitate performance management in State-Owned Enterprises and other prescribed bodies.
The Authority’s mandate is to ensure that these entities operate within the framework of government policy, operating efficiently, effectively, and profitably, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.
President Akufo-Addo, in his keynote address, stated that the government would work to make the public sector more resilient and adequately equipped to meet the demands of the future through the implementation of necessary reforms.
These reforms he mentioned included the Public Financial Management Act, the Legal Policy, SIGA, and the Right to Information bill.
He also stated that the Office of the Special Prosecutor would play a crucial role in holding public institutions more accountable and ensuring that national resources were managed with integrity and efficiency.
“As my tenure comes to an end, I urge stakeholders to build upon the foundations we have laid, leveraging technology, driving efficiency through national digitalization, upholding corporate governance standards, and investing in the capacity building of our institutions,” he added.
Mr John Boadu, the Director-General of SIGA, outlined some achievements of the Authority for the past five years, citing that the number of entities covered under the Annual Performance Contracts had expanded from 50 in 2020 to 79 in 2024.
Also, SIGA successfully published the State Ownership Reports for 2021, 2022, and 2023 within this year, describing it as a remarkable accomplishment.
Furthermore, he said that their collaboration with the Comptroller and Accountant General Department had resulted in a substantial increase in the number of specified entities captured in the Consolidated National Accounts of Ghana – from 19 entities in 2020 to 62 in 2022.
He further stated that the Specified Entities’ contribution to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product also surged from GHS 10 billion in 2020 to GHS 58.27 billion in 2022, with total assets rising from GHS 51.8 billion to GHS 419.2 billion over the same period.
Madam Louisa Shei, leader of the Namibia delegation to the event, said, “I believe that with the true spirit of Pan-Africanism, we can work together to transform our economy.”
The anniversary will be climaxed with awards of excellence on the event’s second day.
GNA
