Ghanaians are to expect an upward review in tariffs in July this year as the Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and other utility companies call for a rise in tariffs to help improve their work.
The Electricity Company of Ghana is requesting 148% increase in utility prices while Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) also asks for 334% increase in water tariffs.
The tariffs increment proposed by the utility companies have been vehemently opposed as critics dread it will compound the plight of Ghanaians.
The utility providers have therefore been asked to rescind their demands and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to intervene on behalf of the consumers.
Touching on the issue, seasoned journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr. blames the leadership of Ghana for this problem.
According to him, the leaders of the country have extremely disappointed Ghanaians.
Mr. Pratt explained that the appointment of people without expertise to be members of the Board of Directors of State enterprises is a major contributory factor to this challenge.
"The political leadership in Ghana has greatly disappointed. Look at a company like the Electricity Company of Ghana which holds our today and future in their hands and we vote for you to become President of the country and you are mandated to appoint Board members for Electricity Company of Ghana, and the Board members you appoint are those who helped you to win but not technocrats who can help the company to improve, then you are very wicked. Then you are not a good President!", he stated on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo".
In order to resolve these issues, Mr. Pratt advised the President and his appointees to "stop giving the State enterprises out as a token of appreciation to people for helping them to win elections".
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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@BBK, I do not know your level of education and understanding being a board member. In Ghana, through our corporate governance, we have two types of board members thus the Executive and Non Executive board members. The Executive board members have a role in the day-to-day administration of the of the organization, such as Personnel director, Finance director and so on. Those that the government normally appoints are Non Executives and have no direct role in the running of the organization but bring in their experience in their field of work and also vote on issues concerning the organization. The Non Executive board members can never change the direction of the Chief Executive and his Executive directors decision. They have little influence on everything the organization do.
Beware of Kwesi Pratt, who seems to see nothing wrong with the NDC-administration tagged as the most corrupt in Ghana but NPP. The Ghanaians had the worst experience with the ECG during the Dumsor era, under the NDC-administration and Mahama's presidency, yet President Mahama was not wicked and as bad as President Akufo-Addo of the NPP-administration. The problem with the increase in utility prices cuts across all the Fourth Republic administrations and to create an impression that the factors underlying it are singularly Akufo-Addo's is dybolic, ill-informed and inward-looking. I'm worried about some of the comments Kwesi Pratt makes because he is one of the senior journalists in Ghana. And he can't just be making such loose comments like that, as if the high tariff-levels are informed by the incompetence of the board of the ECG.
Kwabena Agyapong made similar comments some few days ago that state institutions should be run by technocrats and very experienced people. It seems all our problems in Ghana regarding unemployment is due to how state enterprises are being managed by politicians. Look at someone like Allotey Jacobs on ECG board, Obour (GhanaPost), Paul Adom Otchere, Ken Agyapong ( Ghana Gas), etc. and what happened during Mills/Mahama era. They were just there to enrich themselves. I you know how boards and corporations are managed, we will amend the constitution to limit the powers of the executive in appointing officers to run SOE’s. The chief of staff has now taken over the functions of the Public Services Commission. Politicians are destroying Ghana.
@CJ - Go check the list of board members during the Mills/Mahama & Mahama/Amissah-Authur presidency before making such comments. For lack of knowledge my people perish and ignorance they say is a terminal disease. ***barred word*** follow Kwasi Pratt and you will regret later.
The president had, still is and will forever be a divisive, myopic, tribalistic, fake lawyer who does not understand governance. He is only interested in stealing. Other than that, how can the likes of Adom Otchere and Sefa Kayi be board members of state institutions? What are they bringing to the table? You guys wasted your votes.
Let's draft a new constitution.
So the Prez should appoint you? Kwesi traitor!