Staff of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) in the Bono region have taken to the streets to express their strong opposition to the proposed bill that seeks to merge NEDCo with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). The demonstration, held in Sunyani, featured staff dressed in red and accompanied by a brass band, highlighting their unwavering resistance to the merger.
According to Prince Mash-hud Abdulai, Vice President of the NEDCo Staff Association in Sunyani, merging NEDCo and ECG is not the solution to the energy sector’s challenges. Instead, he urged the government to provide the necessary resources to enhance the performance of existing energy sector players.
The draft bill, currently under consideration in Parliament, proposes the merger of NEDCo with ECG and the establishment of a new entity called the Thermal Power Authority, drawing from VRA’s thermal facilities. Additionally, it suggests merging the Bui Power Authority with the Volta River Authority (VRA).
Staff associations across the country have staged protests, demanding the withdrawal of the bill. The workers argue that the merger will be detrimental to the VRA and the nation as a whole, affecting the State’s energy security and the consistent supply of electricity to consumers.
The VRA staff groups have also expressed concerns that the reforms will lead to the privatization of VRA’s assets, ultimately benefiting cronies rather than the nation. The workers have vowed to resist the proposed changes, using all legitimate means to ensure that Ghanaians are not robbed of affordable electric power and energy security.
The Ministry of Energy’s push for the merger has been met with skepticism, with many questioning the government’s motives. As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the fate of Ghana’s energy sector hangs in the balance.
GBC/Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
