‘Suspend lawless ECG, PDS contract immediately’ – COPEC
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) is demanding the immediate termination of a new arrangement between the Electricity Company of Ghana(ECG) and the Power Distribution Service Ltd (PDS).
The statement comes on the back of the release of a joint statement from the two companies clarifying that PDS would still engage in the retail of power in the country, despite the suspension of its power distribution agreement by the Government of Ghana.
The decision appears to have gotten some watchers worried with the Executive Secretary of COPEC, Duncan Amoah, describing it as a lawless one.
“Who gave ECG the overriding powers to contract a company that has been duly suspended by the Energy Ministry,” he demanded.
According to Duncan Amoah and COPEC, “Our greatest worry stem from the fact that such reckless actions within the Energy sector has over the years served the bane for the mounting debts which government eventually heap onto fuel prices for the trotro, taxi and other unsuspecting drivers as well as industries to pay for through fuel taxes”.
COPEC is therefore demanding an update on the concession agreement in order to clear any doubts or misconceptions about this new arrangement.
Read below the full statement by COPEC
HALT THE NEEDLESS BLEEDING OF THE ENERGY SECTOR
SUSPEND THE LAWLESS CONTRACT BETWEEN ECG AND PDS IMMEDIATELY TO ALLOW INVESTIGATIONS TO PROCEED
News of a purported agreement between the country’s power distributor ( ECG ) and the recently suspended Power Distribution Services ( PDS ) leaves nothing but anxiety in the minds of the Ghanaian public in view of recent developments.
The Government, a few days announced the immediate suspension of an earlier agreement for PDS to take over the management and assets of ECG citing fraud as the main reason for this action.
Ghanaians were promised an investigation into unravelling both the persons behind this fraudulent acquisition and the extent of losses or otherwise to the public (state )
Contrary to this assurance and all other promises to ensure value for money audit, the same agency ( ECG ) whose assets were acquired fraudulently and for which PDS is currently under investigation has made a rather interesting but questionable decision to re-contract this same company to continue with all other services it initially was engaged for.
A number of questions arise and we demand of authorities to respectfully provide legitimate answers to the following :
1. Who gave ECG the overriding powers to contract a company that has been duly suspended by the Minister of Energy?
2. Who in PDS engaged in the purported fraud as earlier indicated by the Hon John Peter Amewu and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah?
3. What happened to the 30 days investigations that were promised by Government?
4. Is fraud still a crime/offence under the laws of this country?
5. How many people have so far been arrested for this fraud that has been allegedly perpetrated on the good people of this country?
6. Does PDS still stand suspended or the said suspension has itself been suspended?
7. Has PDS been able to properly account for its earlier stewardship or control of ECG until its suspension?
8. How much has been lost ( gained ) in the earlier fraudulent transaction perpetrated by PDS?
9. Is ECG now operating ultra vires or illegally by contracting a company whose fraudulent acquisition of its assets is currently a subject of governmental or state investigations?
10. Who exactly are the paid directors of the PDS and how much exactly is their contributions, shareholding and capacity in handling the capital and human assets of ECG?
Until answers are provided for the above, one can only but conclude that there is indeed a much powerful cartel operating currently within the country whose powers go above the laws of the land and even the investigative and prosecutorial powers of the state.
Further the impunity with which this new ECG agreement or contract with PDS is being executed leaves us all wondering whether indeed the Minister of Energy is in charge of the very sector he has been appointed to head, as this situation only exposes the deeper influences of faceless persons other than those known appointees who have been vetted into public offices to protect the public purse.
In the light of all these, our greatest worry stem from the fact that, such reckless actions within the Energy sector has over the years served the bane for the mounting debts which governments eventually heap onto fuel prices for the trotro, taxi and other unsuspecting drivers as well as industries to pay for through fuel taxes.
The mounting debts which we eventually convert to bonds and taxes will sure not cease if we allow such impunity, lawlessness and clear fraudulent manipulations of the Energy sector to continue.
Signed
Duncan Amoah
Executive Secretary
Accra