The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has criticised a small group of “greedy individuals” for derailing the Power Distribution Services (PDS) initiative by manipulating the process and selling shares among themselves.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, July 16, Mr Jinapor clarified that the PDS model itself was not inherently flawed in its attempt to involve the private sector in the management of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Rather, it was the actions of a few that compromised its success, he said.

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“The only bad thing was that a few greedy individuals decided to cannibalise the process and to sell the shares among themselves,” he stated.

The Minister was unequivocal in ruling out any repetition of the PDS approach in the government’s current plans for private sector participation in the energy sector.

“We are not going to use the PDS approach in bringing in the private sector,” he emphasised, and noted that even in its compromised form, the ECG experienced increased revenue, suggesting potential for better outcomes under improved governance.

“If they had started what we are doing now, ensuring value for money, a competitive process, and less political interference, even in its bad form, we saw that the revenue of ECG was increasing. So, it means that if we do it better, then we can get real results.”

Assuring the public, the Minister also stressed that the government would maintain a hands-off approach regarding ownership stakes in any new private sector ventures.

“I have assured you that we would not get involved in the shares of the new private involvement,” he said.