Power ministry hints of sanctioning striking ECG Staff

The Power Ministry has hinted that it may sanction striking workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) if they fail to shelve their decision on a planned 3-hour daily protest.

ECG workers on Wednesday embarked on the strike action in all district and regional offices to protest government’s decision to hand over management of the company to a private entity.

But Deputy Minister for Power, John Jinapor admit that some of the workers’ concerns were legitimate “because if you are going for a concession, there is some level of uncertainty so we must clarify all those issues; employee security, job security so we are willing a determined to engage further and clarify all those issues and a host of other issues that they have raised.”

He is however appealing to the workers to understand that some form of compromise may be in order, “in negotiations, you do not get all that you demand. When you come with your demands, the other party also comes with its demands.”

The Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) which is championing the protest, has seen offices shut down between 8am to 11am, and has called on government to review the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact which seeks to cede the ECG to private investors for a period of 25 years.