Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Edward Boateng, has begun a specified entity visitation exercise.
The exercise began on August 28, 2023 and is set to conclude in mid-September; it aims to address infractions highlighted in the 2022 Auditor-General’s report and to foster a deeper understanding of the key projects and operations of various entities under the Authority’s oversight.
The first entity to receive the Director-General’s delegation was the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). Commending their exceptional efforts, the Director-General lauded ECG’s recent achievements in revenue mobilization – a feat that has captured widespread attention and enabled the company to effectively recover a significant amount of debt. Acknowledging the company’s innovative cashless system, the Director-General encouraged ECG to continue developing inventive ways to enhance customer convenience. He further advocated for collaboration between SIGA and ECG to effectively spotlight their projects and convey their narrative.
“You have demonstrated outstanding dedication to progress and recovery through your revenue mobilisation strategy. I urge you to further pioneer ingenious solutions while partnering with SIGA to showcase your endeavours,” he remarked.
During the interaction, infractions raised in the 2022 report were thoroughly discussed – with ECG’s management providing comprehensive responses. They readily embraced the recommendations and expressed their commitment to mitigating infractions in the years ahead. The Managing Director of ECG, Mr. Samuel D. Mahama, extended gratitude to the Director-General and his team; affirming their determination to rectify the identified issues and foster a strengthened partnership with the SIGA.
“We greatly appreciate the Director-General and his team’s visit. We are determined to rectify the infractions and excited to collaborate with the SIGA to showcase our strides, especially in digitalisation,” the MD affirmed.
Continuing the tour, the Director-General’s team proceeded to the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC). The Director-General commended the company for its noteworthy contributions, particularly in social investments and its initiatives to invest in local talent and provide employment opportunities through the engagement of local technicians.
“We recognise the positive strides made by Ghana Gas in fostering local talent and contributing to the community. It is time to tell your story to the public to reshape perceptions about public institutions,” the Director-General stated.
Addressing the concerns raised in the Auditor-General’s report, the Ghana Gas team provided comprehensive explanations and welcomed the recommendations offered by SIGA. The Chief Executive Officer of GNGC, Dr. Ben K. D. Asante, expressed gratitude for the visit, remarking: “We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Director-General and his team for this visit. We value this opportunity for open dialogue and are committed to complying with SIGA’s recommendations while collaborating to fulfil our mandate”.
The Director-General was accompanied by Stephen Asiedu, Head-Corporate Affairs; Mr. Alexander Agambilla, Head-Finance; Eric Opoku, Head-Governance, Risk and Compliance; Louisa Aubin, Manager PR & External Relations; Godfred Sowah Khartey, Manager Director-General’s Secretariat; and Godfred Owusu Adjei, Manager-Performance Monitoring and Evaluation.
Mr. Boateng’s entity visitation is slated to continue with visits to other entities before mid-September, reinforcing a spirit of transparency, accountability and collective progress in the country’s specified entities.
