ECG Blows ?1.15bn On Unoccupied Rented Office

In the face of increasing demands by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) for the payment of higher tariffs, that company is showing complete disregard for the plight of consumers with what can aptly be described as a wasteful expenditure on rental accommodation for its Kumasi operations.

The ECG has rented a premises at Dichemso, a suburb of Kumasi at an alleged cost of ?1.15 billion cedis for a three-year period without occupying it for reasons best known to it. Part of the alleged ?1.15 billion cedi rent, which, according to some ECG staff has been paid is virtually money down the drain as the company has not occupied the building since it effected payment sometime this year.

The said building was rented for use as the Kumasi East offices of the ECG, following the company’s decision to expand operations in the Ashanti Region.

ECG’s Public Relations Manager, Gloria Dua Sekyi has disputed the alleged payment of ?1.15 billion cedis for the unoccupied building and maintains that ECG has so far paid only 385 million cedis covering a year’s rent, though the tenancy is for three years.

She also maintains that the rent was to take effect from May this year and not January this year as reported. Further enquiries proved that ECG has furnished the said building with air conditioners, carpets and other materials that are compliant with its operational modules at a great cost, running into several millions of cedis, whilst it waits to occupy it.