State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA), will recommend 10 State-Owned Enterprises for listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange, as the government looks to attract private capital to improve their operations.
SIGA is exploring various strategies including divestiture, joint-ventureship among others to “enhance the efficiency of performing SOEs and revive the struggling ones,” Director-General of SIGA, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng told the media.
The Consolidated Bank Ghana which was formed out of seven dissolved banks in the financial sector crisis is part of the first batch of SOEs to be recommended for listing, persons familiar with the matter disclosed to Oman FM News.
The rest include cement producer Ghacem, Ghana Gas Company, Twifo Oil Palm Plantation, TDC Development Company, Ghana Rubber Products among others.
SIGA will submit the proposal to the Ministry of Public Enterprises to be forwarded to Cabinet for approval.
“Indigenous investors interested in ownership of SOEs should make funds available,” Steven Asamoah Boateng told Oman FM News
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government is targeting to revive viable SOEs whose operations have been hampered by debt, lack of financing, and poor corporate governance practices.
“We seek to leverage on the capital market to improve the productivity of SOE’s and create jobs while safeguarding the state’s investment,” Public Enterprises Minister Joseph Cudjoe told Oman FM news
ECG Privatisation
The Minister said privatizing the Electricity Company of Ghana remains a top priority as the government looks to reducing commercial losses and improving the operations of the national electricity distributor.
“We remain committed to attracting private funds into ECG to enhance its service delivery while making it profitable,” Kwaku Stephen told Oman FM News.
The Government of Ghana had earlier contracted the Power Distribution Services as a concessionaire to run ECG, but the contract was terminated after it discovered the payment guarantees provided by PDS were invalid.
Story by: Kwaku Stephen
