The Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Public Utility Workers’ Union of Ghana (PUWU) say the recent surge in revenue at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) proves the utility can be revived without privatization, provided workers are supported and management is held to clear, enforceable targets.
Speaking at a joint press conference on the proposed privatization of ECG, TUC General Secretary Joshua Ansah highlighted the results of a six-month turnaround programme implemented between July and December 2025.
According to the unions, ECG’s average monthly revenue increased sharply from about GH¢900 million to nearly GH¢1.7 billion, an increase of almost 90 percent within six months.
The TUC and PUWU argued that these gains show revenue leakages can be reduced and efficiency improved through internal reforms, rather than by handing the utility over to private operators.
They noted that the improved revenue has already produced positive effects across the power sector, including more consistent payments to power producers and greater stability in electricity supply.
This, they said, has reduced the frequent threats by Independent Power Producers to shut down their plants over unpaid debts.
The unions explained that the turnaround was achieved through a collaborative approach involving ECG workers, management, and the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, with a strong focus on revenue mobilization.
They emphasized that the dedication and professionalism of ECG staff were key to the progress made and insisted that these results could be sustained and expanded if the government strengthens structural support and enforces accountability at the management level.
The unions warned that the renewed push for privatization ignores this recent progress and risks undermining a system that is beginning to show results.
They also questioned why the government appears willing to offer guarantees, incentives, and policy stability to private operators, while hesitating to extend similar support to ECG under public ownership.
As further evidence, they pointed to improvements at the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), where losses have been reduced by about eight percentage points over the past year, showing that performance can improve when workers are empowered and expectations are clearly defined.
Calling for an immediate halt to all privatization-related processes, the TUC and PUWU urged the government to extend the current turnaround programme, introduce clearer performance targets for management, and strengthen oversight by state regulators.
They maintained that ECG’s recent revenue growth demonstrates the company is not beyond recovery and can deliver reliable and affordable electricity without being privatized, if given the right support.
