BY Issah Olegor
The Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has raised strong objections to what it describes as a premature move by government to push the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) toward private sector participation, cautioning that such a decision could undermine a carefully structured reform programme already showing measurable results.
In a strongly worded statement, the union expressed shock over reports that government intends to appoint a transaction adviser to facilitate private sector participation (PSP) in ECG, barely months after launching an internally driven turnaround programme jointly developed by management, workers, and the Ministry of Energy.
According to PUWU, the move contradicts earlier assurances that the reform process would be allowed to run its full course without interference.
The union explained that the current reform agenda was born out of extensive consultations with the Ministry of Energy and was deliberately designed as an internal recovery plan, rather than a precursor to privatization.
The programme, it said, focuses on operational discipline, revenue mobilisation, efficiency improvements, and institutional strengthening, all aimed at restoring ECG’s financial health and service delivery capacity.
PUWU noted that the turnaround strategy was agreed upon with clear benchmarks and timelines, alongside firm assurances from government that there would be no parallel moves to cede control of the power distributor to private interests.
It is therefore “deeply concerning,” the union said, that discussions about appointing a transaction adviser have surfaced at a time when the reform programme is still being implemented.
Over the past five months, the union says, the results of the internal reforms have been tangible.
These include improved revenue collection, a reduction in system and commercial losses, and noticeable stabilisation in power supply across the country.
According to PUWU, these gains have not gone unnoticed at the highest levels of government.
The union pointed out that the Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, publicly acknowledged ECG’s improved performance during the presentation of the 2026 Budget on November 13, 2025.
Similar commendations, it added, were made by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga on the floor of Parliament and by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, in separate public engagements.
For PUWU, these acknowledgements reinforce its argument that ECG is capable of recovery through internal reforms, professional management, and worker commitment—without resorting to what it describes as a “hasty and potentially destabilising” private sector takeover.
The union further questioned the rationale behind appointing a transaction adviser at this stage, asking what transaction still requires structuring when the ongoing reform process is already addressing the very challenges that previously justified calls for privatisation.
“There is a growing perception that this push is being driven by external interests seeking control of a strategic national asset,” the statement warned, adding that such a move would not serve the long-term interest of Ghanaians.
PUWU stressed that ECG remains a critical national asset whose future must be determined through transparent processes, broad stakeholder consultation, and strict adherence to due process.
Any decision affecting its ownership or management, the union argued, should be informed by a full and objective assessment of the current reform programme once it has run its course.
The union has therefore called on government to suspend all steps toward private sector participation, allow the ongoing turnaround strategy to mature, and subject its outcomes to independent evaluation before considering any alternative models.
Reaffirming its commitment to protecting workers’ welfare and the public interest, PUWU maintained that a stable, efficient, and publicly accountable ECG remains essential to the socio-economic development and energy security.
