President John Dramani Mahama is keen on exploring the opportunity to privatise power distribution in Ghana as a strategic move to enhance the efficiency of the country’s energy sector.
During a productive meeting with a delegation from the World Bank at his private office in Cantonments, Accra, the President emphasised the critical need to tackle systemic inefficiencies that have affected the power value chain, particularly regarding the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Reflecting on his experience as Vice President under the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, President Mahama reminisced about the launch of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) project, which aimed to transform Ghana into a leading producer and exporter of electricity in Africa by improving the sector’s efficiency.
“During my tenure, the late President Atta Mills initiated the Millennium Corporation Compact, which was designed to position Ghana as the most efficient electricity producer in Africa and a key player in energy exports,” he stated.
He acknowledged that while democracy brings many benefits, it can also create challenges. Unfortunately, the final phase of the programme, aimed at enhancing distribution and metering, faced obstacles during subsequent administrations, leading to the dissolution of the Power Distribution Service (PDS).
Recognising the need for progress, President Mahama stressed the importance of revisiting privatisation efforts to revitalise ECG’s operations. “To overcome the ongoing challenges in our power value chain, it is essential that we make improvements within the Electricity Company of Ghana,” he asserted, indicating his administration’s commitment to collaborating with the private sector in electricity distribution.
He proposed engaging in further discussions with the World Bank to tap into the necessary expertise for this initiative, suggesting that privatising the final phase of power distribution could be instrumental in achieving sustainable energy solutions and fulfilling Ghana’s long-term energy objectives.
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