Julius Debrah
There are reports that the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has been directed to halt all activities in connection with the privatization of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) until President John Mahama says otherwise.
Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, is reported to have given the directive at a meeting with MiDA representatives, ECG management members and members of the Electricity Unions.
At the meeting, the Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) and its stakeholders were said to have articulated their position on the intended privatization of the ECG.
It would be recalled that workers of ECG have registered their discontentment since government announced that the power distributor would be privatized.
Owing to the development, PUWU of the ECG has embarked on a number of industrial actions in a bid to compel government to rescind its decision.
The workers have argued that the privatisation of the company cannot address its enormous problems.
Secretary of the ECG Senior Staff Association, Patrick Binyemi, speaking to the media in Accra said: “Until the president is briefed and a directive comes, MiDA is directed to halt its activities.”
The planned privatization of ECG is in line with the Power Sector Reform Programme, which was adopted by Ghana in 1994.
Rebuttal
Meanwhile, management of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has described the aforementioned story as untrue and inaccurate.
“Management of MiDA has noted with concern comments attributed to the Secretary of the ECG Senior Staff Association and contained in an article on myjoyonline yesterday titled: “MiDA directed to halt privatisation of ECG.”
A statement recently issued in Accra and signed by Pamela Djamson-Tettey, Director, Communications & Outreach, MiDA, said truly under the auspices of the Chief of Staff, MiDA was participating in ongoing discussions with the Public Utility Workers Union (PUWU) of ECG and ECG management in respect of their concerns regarding the ECG Private Sector Participation.
“As these discussions are ongoing, MiDA is not in a position to disclose details at this time.
“MiDA however wishes to inform the public that no directive to halt its activities in respect of the ECG Private Sector Participation has been given, and no such directive was discussed at the last meeting held at the Flagstaff House, Accra,” it added.
Position of Chief of Staff
Mr Julius Debrah has also denied issuing a fiat to MiDA to halt ongoing reforms at ECG.
“I wish to say here categorically that I have been in the Upper West for the past three days and I’ve not issued any such statement. Indeed, government has not stated that it is privatizing ECG.
“What government has been talking about is a way of reforming by signing up to the compact, and in the long run the objective is how best to improve the performance of ECG,” he emphasized.
By Samuel Boadi