PUWU questions ACEP’s claim that 80% of Ghanaians want ECG privatised

The Public Utility Workers’ Union [PUWU] has questioned a recent survey that claimed 80 per cent of Ghanaians are in favour of government’s move to privatise the Electricity Company of Ghana.

A survey conducted by the Africa Center for Energy Policy [ACEP] over the privatisation of the ECG revealed 80 per cent of Ghanaians want the company to be leased to a private entity.

According to ACEP, those people believe given the management of ECG to a private entity would ensure reliable power supply, affordable power, and a proactive power policy.

Government has already reached an advance stage in the ECG concession plan, which will result in the company being leased to a private entity for the next 30 years under a management contract.

Speaking to 3FM’s Winston Amoah on the Sunrise morning show Monday, General Secretary of PUWU, Michael Adumatta Nyantakyi cast doubts over the credibility of the ACEP survey.

“We don’t doubt ACEP’s credibility but we have strong reservations about that study…when was that study carried out? Who were the respondents? They should give us all the details”, he said.

Mr. Nyantakyi added: “As for research, anybody can carry out a research and depending on how you conduct your questionnaire, you will get a kind of response”.

The General Secretary noted his comments on the issue do not in anyway attack ACEP’s credibility, noting, “We have been collaborating with ACEP. We know what they do but for that information that came out, for some of us, we really look at it a little suspiciously”.

The intended ECG concession has been widely criticised by a section of Ghanaians, including the Ghana Trades Union Congress.

It has triggered a series of protest by the workers of the ECG across the country.

Currently the workers who come under PUWU are on a two-day sit down strike, which started last Friday.

The workers say there is clause in the concession plan to lay off some staff of the ECG but that claim has since been rejected by the Millennium Development Authority which is spearheading the concession.