Ghana Electricity Company (ECG) has rewarded four customers for their dedication and prompt payment of bills at its 50th-anniversary celebrations held in Ho.

The companies awarded are Bays Water Industry Limited, and Sterling Salt Industry in Denu; Gadco Rice Mills and Brazil Agro, both located in Sogakope.

Outgoing General Manager of Volta Region branch of ECG, Joseph Forson, thanked the award winners for their commitment to paying their bills promptly and urged others to emulate same.

Managing Director of ECG, Ing Samuel  Boakye-Appiah, said in a speech read on his behalf by Mr. Forson that ECG remains positive about the future as it prepares for a transformation in service delivery.

The structure of this new transformation, according to him involves the introduction of a private sector participant to manage, operate and invest in the distribution business of ECG as a concessionaire for 20-years.

 ECG, he said has, therefore, not been sold contrary to unsubstantiated claims.

“I wish to reiterate my assurance to our stakeholders and especially to all employees that ECG will continue to exist as an electric utility,” he said.

Ing Boakye-Appiah said according to the transaction conditions, there will be no involuntary job losses for the entire period of the concession.

“We will implement an extensive change management program in the coming days to prepare us for the impending change. I wish to appeal to all staff to repose their confidence in Management. We will do everything to secure the best interest of all staff of ECG and that of Ghana. Just as we have held together over the past 50 years, let us all hold our hands into the future,” he said

According to him,  Currently, the Company offers direct employment to about 6,500 people and has created over 100,000 indirect jobs for Ghanaians. ECG provides electricity to a population of approximately 20.6 million out of which 3.5 million are our customers. 

“Our Training Centre at Tema has trained engineers, technicians, artisans & utility service personnel for ECG, the Military, Hospitals, Factories, GRIDCo and NEDCO as well as those from Sierra Leone and Liberia. In recognition of the valuable human capital we have created over the past 50 years, Engineers from Afghanistan were trained by ECG on the recommendation of the World Bank in the last quarter of 2017,” he revealed.

These modest successes, he said were not achieved without daunting challenges such as obsolete equipment, outdated technology and the use of manual business processes.

“In addition to these internal challenges, there are also major ones which are outside our control but have a negative impact on our business.These include; lack of cost-reflective tariffs, foreign exchange losses and recently etc .”

ECG’s 50 years journey started in 1967 when the Electricity Division of the Public Works Department was transformed into the Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG) through a National Liberation Council Decree; (NLCD) 125.

The corporate evolution continued in February 1997 when ECG was incorporated as a limited liability company under the Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179).

Fifty years down the line the evolution still continues with the ongoing processes to introduce a private sector participation.