Contractors mount pressure on ECG to pay them

Some private contractors who rendered services to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) are mounting pressure on the Company to pay debt owed them.

The contractors accused the ECG of failing to pay them for services they genuinely executed dating back to the days of Power Distribution Services (PDS) in 2019.

They gave a two -week ultimatum to the Managers of the company to sit with them and arrange a suitable payment terms.

According to them, all efforts to get their monies, including petitioning the current Managing Director of the Company has not yielded any positive response since.

Speaking with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie, a Former Regional Chairman of the ECG, Tema, who is also a contractor, Mr Samuel Ampomah said the contractors will remove transformers, meters and other equipment at its sub-stations if Management of the Company fails to heed to their call within the time given.

Removing the transformers, and other equipment, he said will lead to power outages in the country.

He noted that aside ECG, the Power Distribution Services (PDS) is also owing them, saying that they want the ECG to pay the debt by ECG and PDS since ECG took over from them.

“They told us there was no money. When the covid-19 came, we were told to hold on but later, we realised that they were rather building. They have started doing fencing which means there is money. They are doing a new building at Avenor and so there is money,” he said.

Mr Samuel Ampomah again said the Former MD used to pay in bits but now the current one does not.

He noted that most of the contractors went for loans to work but the interests has increased and they are unable to pay.

“If they sit with us to negotiate on the payment terms like the Former MD used to do, we shall accept it,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said if the management fails to pay, the contractors will come together to decide on the way forward.