The Acting Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Prof. Michael Kpessa-Whyte, says he does not agree with suggestions for the privatisation of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
“At a personal level, I do not think ECG should be privatised,” he stated in a yet-to-air interview on Hot Issues scheduled for Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Although SIGA as a body has not taken any firm position on the matter, Prof. Kpessa-Whyte is of the view that there could be a better turnaround strategy for ECG to make it more profitable under government supervision.
“I have called for a governance analysis of ECG to help determine the way forward regarding potential plans to privatise it. [However], we do not decide for the Energy Minister how the policy direction should go,” he posited.
He told host Keminni Amanor that there is a pending in-house report on the company that is being looked at. The ECG has been struck by a plethora of troubles and loss-ridden records over the years, which according to sector players, have made the entity less attractive.
It is grappling with a developing issue pertaining to over one thousand missing containers under suspicious circumstances, raising eyebrows over the operations and management of the company.
The immediate past Managing Director Samuel Dubik Mahama in an interview with TV3 denied major allegations made against his person and other leaders under whose watch these alleged scandals unfolded.
He even dismissed calls for his prosecution.
But amid these raging controversies and uncertainties on the future of ECG, Prof. Kpessa-Whyte wants a more comprehensive approach taken.
“When it gets to a point where they need to come to us [on ECG privatisation], they will,” he added.
According to him, the era has come for state-owned enterprises to make profits, grow and pay dividends to the country. He will seek to drive SOEs a notch higher while ensuring accountability.
