Today in History: Attempts to privatise ECG ‘senseless’ – KT Hammond

In February 2015, the Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir Hammond who was then a Minority Spokesperson on Energy described attempts by the then ruling government to privatise state power distributor, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as senseless.

With Ghana facing a daunting energy crisis at the period, Mr. KT Hammond alluded that the privatisation of ECG was never a solution to the nation's power crisis.

Read the full article as first published by starrfmonline.com below:

The Minority Spokesperson on Energy, KT Hammond has described as "senseless” attempts by government to privatise state power distributor, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

According to him, privatising ECG is not the solution to the power crisis the country is facing.

A high profile document intercepted by Starr News suggests that the Mahama-led administration will barring any immediate changes, privatise the state power distributor next year.

The document also indicates that the government will this month, February, appoint a transaction advisor for either a partial privatisation or the Concession options being considered.

But speaking to Starr News Tuesday, the Adansi Fomena MP said privatisation is not the panacea to the country’s energy challenges.

“Privatisation doesn’t make any sense in the context that we are talking about.

“If it is because of the problem that we talking about now; ECG has nothing to do with it, it’s entirely the making of those in authority.

“The problem is with funding and not ECG,” he stated.

He said until government reviews the funding strategy for ECG, the problems with the power distributor will continue even if the managers are changed.