Procurement Act is affecting ECG negatively-ECG Association

Koforidua, April 25, GNA- The Senior Staff Association (SSA) of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), alleged that some persons were taking advantage of the Procurement Act to supply "sub-standard equipment" to the company."

According to the association, the development was negatively affecting the operations of the ECG and called for a re-look of the policy.

The group said even though it appreciated government's policy on procurement of materials by public corporate entities, it was of the opinion that the practice was not in the best interest of the company. Mr Twum Barima Boadu, National President of the group told Ghana News Agency (GNA), in Koforidua on Thursday, that the sub-standard equipment was being supplied to the company under the guise of competitive bidding.

He said "The purchase of sub-standard equipment in the name of competitive bidding under the Procurement Act is having a negative effect on our operations."

Mr Twum said the "rate of failure of equipment is unacceptable," as the situation cast a slur on the integrity and image of the company. He said the public's trust in ECG to deliver efficient service was dwindling due to the situation.

Mr Twum said the association was also demanding a standardization of ECG's operations as in the case of pre-payment metering systems because customers were complaining about the quality of the meters and the company needed not "turn deaf ears to their cries." The ECG, he said, currently used five prepayment metering systems, whereas the association wanted the company to settle on one workable system to ensure efficiency in the system...