Energy expert and former Volta River Authority (VRA) boss, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby has said less government interference is the only way the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) can function effectively.
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ECG desperately needs less gov't interference – Wereko-Brobby
An intense public debate has been generated over the past few months regarding rumours of the privatization of ECG following the signing of a power compact with the United States’ Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).
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Speaking on Unique FM’s Behind the News on Wednesday, Dr. Wereko-Brobby opined that over the years, ECG has been subjected to “severe interference by subsequent generation of politicians so instead of ECG being a good utility distributor, it’s literally taking instructions from politicians on a day to day basis.”
The President and other government officials have debunked this rumour saying, no such thing is in the offing. They explained that Cabinet has only approved the option of private participation in the operations of the electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
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According to the former VRA boss, “what ECG needs is less government interference and better management…”
He maintained that the management of ECG should not be blamed because he has worked with most of them and “they are good technicians so let’s not think that the best thing for us to do is to go and sell the family air loom because we are trying to blame people.”
“If we want ECG to remain in Ghanaian hands, let’s put it on the stock market and let every Ghanaian go and buy a piece of ECG,” he added.
He insisted that the discussion should not be reduced to privatization or non-privatization but rather, it ought to be about “to what extent should the state keep an arm’s length from the management of public enterprises so that those who are managing can give off their best effort.”
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On Wednesday, authorities at the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPco) announced that the President through Cabinet has directed the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) to sanction an increase in utility tariffs to help offset the debt.
But Wereko-Brobby asked, “if you increase tariffs and the same people don’t pay for it, then what have you achieved?”
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