ECG demo leaves customers stranded

About 50 customers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in Kumasi have been left stranded following the nationwide demonstration by the Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU).

PUWU, which includes staff of ECG, started a three-day nationwide demonstration on Wednesday to register its displeasure with the government’s move to privatise the state power distributor.

ClassFMonline.com has gathered that the demonstration has left several customers of ECG stranded in Kumasi and other parts of the country. The affected customers said the workers had indicated they would serve them after mid-day.

ECG is being privatised as part of conditions for the government to access a grant of US$498.2 million from the United States of America to support the energy sector.

Mr Michael Adumatta Nyantakyi, General Secretary of PUWU at a press conference on Tuesday August 23, said the problems currently confronting the EC could not be solved through privatisation.

He said at the moment, the company was faced with managerial and governance inadequacies, which were impacting negatively on staff morale and discipline. The other issues, he stated, were political interference in the administration of the company; non-payment of bills by the Government of Ghana and state institutions, especially the ministries, departments, and agencies; lack of cost reflective tariffs (inherent subsidies not paid by GoG); inadequate power generated, which affects volume of sales and turnover; and transmission, capacity-related challenges.

These challenges confronting ECG, if solved, will make the company a viable one, according to Mr Nyantakyi.