Thursday, 09 January

Mahama eyes privatization of ECG to address distribution inefficiencies

Business
John Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has signalled the potential privatisation of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as part of efforts to tackle longstanding inefficiencies in the country's power distribution system.

Speaking during a meeting with a World Bank delegation at his private office in Accra on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, President Mahama expressed confidence that private sector involvement could help resolve critical challenges such as operational inefficiencies, financial mismanagement, and poor service delivery within ECG.

“If we don’t fix the Electricity Company of Ghana, we will continue to face major problems across the entire power value chain,” President Mahama said, underscoring the urgency of reforms.

He highlighted that privatising ECG’s distribution operations could introduce the efficiency required to modernise the energy sector and meet Ghana’s increasing energy demands.

Reflecting on Ghana's earlier engagement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact during his tenure as Vice President, Mahama emphasised the pivotal role of an efficient energy distribution system in driving national development goals.

The President reassured stakeholders that any decision to privatise ECG would be approached cautiously, with extensive consultations to balance public interest and the sector’s need for improved performance.

“We want to engage with the World Bank to leverage their expertise in implementing this initiative,” he stated.

Mahama further explained that privatisation would form part of a broader strategy to modernise Ghana’s energy infrastructure, ensuring sustainability, reliability, and enhanced service delivery for citizens and businesses.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Cecil Mensah