When you spot the Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) leading staff of the utility approaching your establishment or even residence, the mission is certainly to collect debts owed the company.
So huge is the volume of indebtedness that an unusual approach such as announced by the MD, Samuel Dubik Mahama, will have to be applied for the recovery effort. The periodic raising of loans from both the government and other sources for monies to keep the lights on should be discarded forthwith, especially when evidently there is so much ECG monies in the hands of establishments and individuals across the country.
We appreciate the stable supply of electricity. So stable is the situation that the word dumsor is rarely used these days. It pops up only during history lessons about what this country went through at the hands of the former political administration.
The implications of unstable power supply are well known to every Ghanaian. The collapsed businesses and the fallouts have not been lost to Ghanaians. We can only ensure that this dark chapter is not revisited in the country by ensuring efficiency in the operations of the ECG.
Thinking outside the box is the only means of addressing the challenge.
Indiscipline comes in varying forms, one of which is the refusal by people to pay their bills to keep utility companies on their wheels. If such irresponsibility rears its head among individuals in domestic settings, same would not be surprising in corporate organisations.
The media were awash with stories about some state institutions to be disconnected. Whatever has been responsible for such establishments not paying their bills, perhaps this new move by the ECG should remind those in charge of such obligations to wake up and discharge this equally important role.
GH¢5.7 billion being held by consumers is enough to starve a utility company of funds to function properly.
We have just learnt about Parliament making part payment of its indebtedness to ECG. GH¢8.5 million out of GH¢13 million owed the utility company. If this unconfirmed information is true, we expect others to emulate the example of the legislature.
There must be a paradigm shift in our relationship with the utility companies which are not allowed to charge realistic fees for their services. For the below realistic fees, many find it convenient to avoid payment yet expect consistency in the provision of the services.
Appropriate technology should be used to collect monies owed so that the utility companies such as the ECG will remain afloat.
We stand shoulder to shoulder with the ECG in their quest to collect what is due them so that we shall have constant light.
We ask the MD and his management to also launch a special operation for illegal power consumers who are still many, as part of the recovery efforts.