The Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) is questioning the process leading to the selection of Meralco Consortium as the 'Preferred Bidder' to manage ECG.

General Secretary of PUWU, Michael Nyantaky, told Joy News the processes was faulty. 

His comments follow the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA's) announcement of that Meralco is to be handed management duties at ECG.

PUWU says the country could lose out as MiDA had limited options because there were just a few companies to select from.

According to him, the fact that most of the 11 companies pulled out of the process leaving just two companies to select from suggests there is a problem with the whole process.

“How competitive was the process if at the end of the day you had two out of which you had to select one…Are you getting value for money? Is it the best we can get for us as a nation?” he asked.

Last year, President Nana Akufo-Addo said Ghana will have 51% shares in the entire transaction even when a new manager is appointed.

Having named Meralco Consortium as the new managers, Michael Nyantakyi asked who the local partners are.

The CEO of the Millennium Development Authority Martin Eson-Benjamin, however, maintained due process was followed in selecting Meralco.

He told Joy Business' George Wiafe a total of 83 firms applied for the job out of which a shortlist of 11companies was made.

He said out of the 11 companies, six bidders came and picked forms. Out of the six, four dropped leaving two of them.

"Those two companies had their proposals evaluated. And when you evaluate there is always the possibility of one of them being better than the other,” he stated.

When he was asked if Meralco had the competence and track record to manage ECG, he stated: “This is a company operating for 115 years. I am aware that the technical and financial evaluations that were done, put them at about 94% which meant they were in the position to take on the job that they had applied to do.”

He added the company was selected by independent evaluators and experts who scrutinized the bids before selecting Meralco.

Checks by Joy News indicate that Meralco is a Philippines-based company with over 100 years’ experience in managing electricity distribution.