Conflict resolution mechanism to resolve problems militating against smooth running of state enterprises ready

Conflict resolution mechanism will be used to resolve problems militating against the smooth running of state enterprises in the country, the acting Director General of State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has hinted.

He said the mechanism had been tested and proven to be appropriate in resolving differences between Chief Executive officers (CEO) and Board chairmen of State Own Enterprises (SOEs), thus leading to smooth running of such institutions.

Mr Boateng dropped the hint when he interacted with editors and senior journalists drawn from selected media houses in Accra on Tuesday.

The meeting was to brief the media, on the new SIGA Act 990 of 2019.

Under the Act, the State Enterprises Commission (SEC) and the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) have been fused into one entity, SIGA with the powers to “oversee and administer the State’s interest in state-owned enterprises, joint venture companies and other State entities and to provide for related matters.”

Mr Boateng said the mechanism was adopted to resolve the disagreements and differences among the Auditor General, the Board chairman of Audit Service, the CEO of the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company and the board chairman.

He said under the authority, the typical civil service approach to work would give way to business-oriented approach drive by efficiency, profitability and sustainability.

“The days where institutions were set up as commercial entities but were not running as such are over,” he explained.

Mr Boateng said SIGA would organised capacity building programmes for managers of state institutions to be able to come out with innovative ways of making money to meet set targets and pay dividends.

The General Director said the authority would focus on ownership and governance, the two pillars of the act to ensure that state institutions deliver on their mandate.

Mr Boateng said his outfit had begun an educational campaign on the new act to sensitise key directors on it and what was required of them to move the nation forward.

He called for support from the media to make the act a game-changer and “not business as usual.”

President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Affail Monney, on behalf of his colleagues pledged their support to SIGA and promised to work in close collaboration with it to make state enterprises more vibrant and profitable.

BY MATTHEW AYOO