ECG’s challenges rooted in gov’t neglect – Former MD reveals

Samuel Dubik Mahama, former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has raised concerns about investment issues. He spoke at the JoyNews National Dialogue. Mr. Mahama noted that there was a lack of investment during President Nana Akufo-Addo’s first term.

He attributed this neglect to the government's focus on privatising ECG. “During the President’s first tenure, all efforts were geared towards sending ECG into privatisation,” he stated. As a result, there was zero investment in the company.

Mr. Mahama became ECG's Managing Director in 2022. One of his first actions was to assess the company's operational health. He found significant inefficiencies in its data and billing systems.

“Although there had been massive growth in customers, this was not reflected in our data,” he explained. The billing system struggled to capture new customers, leading to revenue gaps.

“The billing system had deficiencies,” he said. When customer numbers hit 4.5 million, new additions were not recorded properly. This situation highlights ongoing systemic issues within ECG.

Mr. Mahama emphasized the need for technical and policy reforms. These changes are essential for improving efficiency and financial stability at ECG.