Executive Director of the Good Governance Advocacy Group Ghana, Listowel Nana Poku, has defended President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to dissolve the boards of several state-owned enterprises (SOEs), describing it as a prudent move aimed at recalibrating governance and improving the performance of public institutions.
According to him, the decision should not automatically be interpreted as a punishment for members of the dissolved boards, arguing that the President may have several reasons for restructuring boards that cannot necessarily be made public.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s morning show in Accra on Thursday, September 3, 2026, Listowel Nana Poku said he would not hate or condemn anyone affected by the decision, but stressed that public officials who know what is right for the country must be prepared to act in the national interest.
“I won’t hate Haruna in any way, but if you know what is good and you decide not to do it, that becomes a problem,” he stated.
He explained that Ghanaians voted for President Mahama and gave him the mandate to govern, including the authority to appoint individuals to positions of responsibility.
He noted that once people are appointed to public offices, they are expected to use the authority entrusted to them to serve the country rather than pursue personal interests.
Mr. Nana Poku recalled President Mahama’s message to his ministers when they were sworn into office, saying the President urged them to work with humility, listen to the concerns of the people, demonstrate a good heart and remain committed to serving Ghanaians.
He said President Mahama’s own conduct since returning to office has led many Ghanaians to describe him as humble and approachable.
According to him, the same spirit of humility and service should reflect in the conduct of government appointees.
Dissolution does not necessarily mean wrongdoing
Listowel Nana Poku cautioned Ghanaians against assuming that members of dissolved boards had necessarily committed wrongdoing.
He argued that there could be several reasons behind the President’s decision, including the need to recalibrate the composition of a board, improve its effectiveness or introduce a new direction.
“Ghanaians cannot say that they have dissolved the board without telling us the reasons why they have dissolved the board. Some of the reasons why government dissolves a board cannot be put out because of personal issues,” he explained.
He stressed that the dissolution should not necessarily be interpreted as an indication that someone had done something wrong.
“It is not as if somebody has done a bad thing. It may be that the President wants to recalibrate the board,” he added.
He, however, acknowledged that the manner in which the decision was communicated had created room for speculation, with many people trying to interpret the reasons behind the move.
He therefore called on President Mahama to provide further explanation where necessary to prevent unnecessary speculation.
President must explain the decision
Mr. Nana Poku said although the President has the authority to make such decisions, he would have preferred a clearer explanation of the reasons behind the dissolution of the boards.
“I wished the President would go further to explain why these boards were dissolved because of the way the information was put out, people are reading meaning into it,” he said.
He explained that while CEOs of state-owned enterprises are responsible for the day-to-day administration of their institutions, boards generally provide oversight, direction and advice.
He noted that the effectiveness of boards therefore depends partly on the relationship between the boards and the institutions they oversee.
‘It is not business as usual’
The governance advocate further urged government appointees not to assume that the Mahama administration would operate under the old style of governance.
He recalled President Mahama’s declaration that his administration would not conduct government business as usual.
According to him, the President has access to information and receives reports on the activities of his government on a regular basis.
He said some decisions taken by the President may therefore be based on information that cannot immediately be disclosed publicly.
“Sometimes people can call you and ask, ‘I heard you saying something here, explain it to me.’ Look, it is not everything that I can disclose. The President is not God, but he knows everything that is going on in his government,” he said.
Calls for patience with Mahama government
Listowel Nana Poku also appealed to Ghanaians, particularly supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), to exercise patience with the administration.
He said he had previously had the opportunity to operate around the corridors of power and had encountered situations that could surprise the public if they became known.
He therefore urged Ghanaians to allow the government time to implement its agenda.
“I will encourage Ghanaians to have patience for this government because they will benefit from this government,” he stated.
NDC grassroots concerns
Mr. Nana Poku also touched on concerns among some NDC supporters regarding appointments and opportunities under the current administration.
He recalled that before the 2024 elections, the NDC campaged on the promise of fairness and good governance, including the principle of not operating a system of “jobs for the boys.”
He therefore suggested that the concerns of grassroots supporters should be examined honestly.
He called for a distinction between party loyalty and competence, noting that there are situations where people who supported the opposition may also be appointed to public positions while long-standing party supporters feel excluded.
According to him, government must be prepared to address such concerns while maintaining the principles of competence and fairness.
He argued that the achievements and decisions of the Mahama administration should ultimately be assessed against the performance of previous governments.
Mr. Nana Poku maintained that President Mahama’s current approach reflects the kind of prudent decision-making he believes characterised portions of the President’s first administration.
He expressed confidence that if the President continues to govern with humility, prudence and a willingness to make difficult decisions, Ghana could benefit significantly from his administration.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah
Ahotoronline, Accra.
