President John Dramani Mahama has expressed his intention to revisit the privatization of power distribution in Ghana, emphasizing its importance for improving efficiency in the country’s energy sector.
The President made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation from the World Bank at his private office in Cantonments, Accra.
He stressed the need to address the systemic inefficiencies that have plagued the nation’s power value chain, particularly within the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Reflecting on his tenure as Vice President under the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, President Mahama recalled the launch of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) project, which aimed to position Ghana as a leading producer and exporter of electricity in Africa by enhancing the sector’s overall efficiency.
“During my time as Vice President, the late President Atta Mills initiated the Millennium Corporation Compact, designed to make Ghana the most efficient electricity producer in Africa and a hub for energy exports,” he stated. “Sadly, while democracy has its dividends, it can sometimes be a curse. The programme’s final phase, which was meant to improve distribution and metering, was mishandled by subsequent administrations, leading to the collapse of the Power Distribution Service (PDS).”
President Mahama emphasized the need to revisit privatization efforts to enhance ECG’s operations.
“If we don’t fix the Electricity Company of Ghana, we will continue to face significant challenges across the entire power value chain,” he warned, signaling his administration’s readiness to re-engage the private sector in electricity distribution.
He added that discussions with the World Bank would be sought to harness the necessary expertise for this initiative. According to the President, privatizing the final phase of power distribution could be key to ensuring sustainable energy solutions and achieving Ghana’s long-term energy goals.
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