ECG was never at the table in terms of revenue – Dubik Mahama

Samuel Dubik Mahama, Former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has stated that ECG’s revenue was not the best for many years.

At the JoyNews National Dialogue on Thursday, April 10, Mr Mahama stressed that ECG had historically not been part of major revenue conversations.

“ECG was never at the table in terms of revenue. For years, ECG’s revenue was flat-lined — always between GH¢450 million to GH¢500 million. No utility company’s revenue should be that stagnant,” he said.

However, he pointed to the significant progress made during his tenure, where ECG’s revenue reportedly increased to GH¢1.5 billion.

Mr Mahama further explained that ECG’s financial struggles were deeply rooted and not new to him when he assumed office in May 2022. However, sitting at the board level was a different experience compared to managing the company daily.

“There were a lot of discrepancies in the thinking around the company called ECG. Data from the Project Management Office revealed that over 700 electrical infrastructure projects were outstanding, about 100 more in civil works, and only 12 in customer service. This showed clearly that while the infrastructure side was being addressed, the business side — the side that brings in the money — was neglected.”

He noted that there was a fundamental flaw in how the company related to its customers, emphasizing that no modern utility company can thrive without investing in customer interface systems.

“I had a discussion with the board and told them that no critical 21st-century utility operates without properly engaging customers. So, we embarked on an ambitious drive to change the narrative around customer relations,” Mr Mahama said.

Despite his familiarity with the company’s challenges from his time on the board, Mr Mahama admitted that sitting in the Managing Director’s chair exposed him to the harsh realities of ECG’s operational difficulties.