Deputy Energy Minister nominee backs privatisation of parts of ECG’s operations

Deputy Minister nominee for Energy and Green Transition, Richard Gyan-Mensah, has endorsed the partial privatization of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to address its financial and operational challenges.

Speaking during his vetting on February 25, he argued that private sector involvement is crucial for injecting the capital needed to overcome system inefficiencies and secure a stable power supply.

The government has initiated this move by forming a seven-member committee on January 24, 2025, to explore private-sector participation models.

Gyan-Mensah clarified that the privatization would focus on specific segments of ECG particularly distribution, billing, and collections while ensuring local interests are safeguarded under Ghana’s Local Content Act.

Despite these plans, trade unions remain wary, viewing this approach as a pretext for full privatization, which they claim has repeatedly failed in Ghana.