Bring our MD back - Abraham Lincoln

Staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Eastern region has added their voice to the called on government to bring back their former Managing Director (MD), Rev. William Hutton-Mensah who has been resigned to another office.

Engineer Hutton-Mensah, who is on his annual leave, has been asked to report to the Minister of Energy and Petroleum for reassignment upon resumption while his position is filled by Robert Dwamena, the Director of Procurements.

Rev William Hutton-Mensah was sacked as the Managing Director of the power distributor by President John Mahama last week. Robert Dwamena, a former Director of Procurements at the ECG, replaced Hutton-Mensah in acting capacity.

But more ECG staff unions across the country have joined the protest to force the President to rescind his decision. The worker argued that “sacrificing” the head is an “attack” on the entire ECG workforce, claiming though that they are not responsible for the power crisis bedeviling the nation.

Insisting that the dismissal was not in the right direction, the workers urged government to focus on power generation, which they believe is largely responsible for the excruciating load shedding.

“If the president fail to listen to us and as medical doctors who take care of human lives can go on strike without any favour, we will equally lay down our working tools by shutting down electricity substations and plunge the whole country into total darkness unless their sacked boss is reinstated”. Mr. Abraham Lincoln said.

Mr. Abraham Lincoln said if they decide to shut the primary substation down, the whole country will be in total darkness; but they don’t want to get to that extreme to make the whole country go down in total darkness but he is however hopeful, President Mahama who is a “listening” president will listen to their plea and rescind his decision.

Mr. Lincoln however, vehemently rejected claims that ECG does not have a planned timetable for the load shedding exercise.

Arguing in favour of the former MD, he said the ECG has “seen a lot of improvement” under the three – year leadership of Hutton-Mensah.

He mentioned a number of towns including Akyem Oda, Bunso, Koforidua Old Estate, Mile 50 in Koforidua, Nkawkaw, Suhum and many other places that have benefited from substations, “a vehicle electricity travels on”, within the past three years.

“Even the press statement signed by the Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani that announced Rev. Hutton-Mensah’s dismissal did not assign any reason. We the workers have also not been informed about the reason for his removal”. Abraham Lincoln said.

Meanwhile, the Minority Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, Hon. William Owireku Aidoo said, the action by government to sack the former boss of ECG was purely influenced by politics.

He however, appealed to the workers Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to shelf any plan to shut down substations and remain calm because “Ghanians need them.”

Mr. Aidoo also cautioned the government against "experimenting" with the leadership of the ECG.