Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed a significant surge in revenue collection at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), attributing the boost to government-led digitalisation initiatives.
Highlighting the impact of digitalisation on revenue collection, he noted that the Company’s monthly revenue soared from GH¢450 million to over a billion, underscoring the effectiveness of digital tools in enhancing operational efficiency.
Addressing attendees at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa, Dr Bawumia stressed the importance of leveraging digital tools in the fight against corruption, urging other member states to adopt Ghana’s approach.
The NPP flagbearer also highlighted challenges faced during the digitalisation process, revealing instances of sabotage by ECG staff who introduced malware into the system.
Dr Bawumia recounted how national security interventions were necessary to address the issue, ultimately leading to the apprehension of the culprits.
“Can you believe that workers within the system sabotaged it, they put ransomware into the whole system. And the system essentially collapsed.
“We had to send in national security to eventually find that it was some of the staff at the IT department who were culpable,” he said.
Recalling the disruption caused by the malware, he stressed the government’s swift response in restoring and digitizing the system.
Dr Bawumia emphasised the transition away from cash payments for electricity, with mobile money and electronic bank transfers now being the preferred modes of payment.
He expressed disbelief at the remarkable increase in revenue collection, citing the transformation from GH¢450 million to over a billion cedis per month as evidence of the success of the digitalisation efforts.
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