[ 2016-09-03 ]

ECG workers down tools for 2 days

Workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)
have begun another protest against what they
describe as “gross disrespect and lack of
trust” showed them by the Millennium Development
Authority (MiDA).


All services by the workers of the company, who
are part of the Public Utility Workers Union
(PUWU), have, therefore, been withdrawn, except
for emergency cases, for two working days.

The protest is also against the planned
privatisation of the company by the government.

The workers suspended their services for three
hours each working day for three days last week to
express their disapproval at the sale of the
company and demanded the review of the Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact which they
said could lead to lay-offs.

However, MiDA, in an earlier statement, dismissed
claims of job losses if the private sector
participated in the affairs of the company under
the second compact of the MCC.

It contended that the decision of the government
to proceed with a long-term concession arrangement
with the ECG was taken after extensive
consultations with a broad range of stakeholders,
detailed technical reviews, in-depth study and a
thorough analysis.

The PUWU, which gave the directive, asked the
workers of the ECG not to attend to official
duties yesterday, September 2, and Monday,
September 5, 2016 until the government backed down
on its concession plan.

‘The disrespect’

The General Secretary of PUWU, Mr Michael Adumatta
Nyantakyi, in an interview with the Daily Graphic,
said the current protest was triggered by a
“disrespectful attitude and breach of faith
action” showed them by MiDA.

He said during the first protest last week, the
Ministry of Power and MiDA called for a meeting
which was scheduled for August 30, 2016.

However, because it was delayed, much could not be
discussed and so it was rescheduled to September
8, 2016.

“We were waiting for the due date to go for the
meeting, only to hear on August 31, 2016 that MiDA
had sent out the request for proposals to bidders,
an act which clearly shows breach of faith,
betrayal of trust and disrespect to us,” he
said.

Customers are disappointed

On a visit to some ECG offices in Accra the Daily
Graphic saw that staff of the company were not
working, leaving customers stranded at their
entrances.

At the ECG Head Office at the Ministries in
Accra, it was observed that although some workers
were seen in their offices, they were not
working.

Red flags had also been hoisted at the main
entrance and on other structures, including trees
within the premises, to register their grievance.

At the Accra West Regional office of the company,
a red band with the inscription: “MiDA, stop ECG
privatisation now!!! Leave ECG alone” was hung
at the main entrance.

The Customer Service Unit where customers are
received had been locked up.

The situation was not different at the Kaneshie
District Office, where customers who had gone to
buy prepaid credit or were in need of one service
or another were seen trooping in and out of the
various ECG offices in disappointment.

Some of the customers expressed their
disappointment, saying that the company should be
sold to ensure efficiency in the distribution of
power.

“Why won’t the government sell ECG when
workers of such a critical organisation decide to
go on strike? How do you expect customers to
sympathise with you when you frustrate them like
this? I support the idea that it should be sold to
ensure efficiency,” a stranded customer, Mr Elis
Awuku, told the Daily Graphic.

Another customer who gave his name only as Dominic
said his employer had sent him because their
prepaid credit was running out, only to be told
that the workers had gone on strike.

Mr Collins Owusu, who wanted his meter replaced
at the Kaneshie office, went home disappointed,
since he was told that nothing could be done until
the protest was over.

“I was given a meter on Thursday but it did not
work and so I came back today for replacement,
only to be told that they are not working. It is
so frustrating because we have to sleep in
darkness for days," he added.

‘Effect is regrettable’

Mr Nyantakyi, on behalf of PUWU, said the effect
of the workers’ action on customers was
regrettable and unfortunate, but the workers had
to pursue it for the good of all citizens of the
country.

A meeting between the Ministry of Power and the
executive of PUWU to discuss the workers’
concerns was held. Although details of the meeting
was not disclosed, Mr Nyantakyi told the Daily
Graphic that another meeting was expected between
the parties next week.

Kumasi

Donald Ato Dapatem & Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor report
that a visit to various offices of the ECG in the
Ashanti Region indicated that almost all of them
had been closed, with red bands hung at the
entrances of the offices.

Most of the customers who went to the offices to
purchase power, report faults, request for meters,
pay bills and make enquiries were turned away.

Many of them were seen stranded, with some
threatening to reconnect their electricity because
they could not do without power.

At the Adum Office of the ECG, a worried
barbershop owner, Richard Bimpong, said he would
not allow the lack of electricity and the strike
to affect his work .

At the Gyenyasi District Office, although the
staff reported for work, none of them was working.
Some had even changed into their working gear but
would not attend to anybody.

Maame Adwoa, a housewife who had gone to the
office to buy power for domestic use, was
disappointed when she was informed that the staff
were not working.

At the Regional Workshop and the Danyame offices
where most faults are reported, the main gates
were locked, with a red band tied to them.

Tema

From Tema, Della Russel Ocloo reports that
dejected customers who were turned away from the
various offices wondered why the workers were
venting their frustration on customers.

A frustrated customer, Mr Wonder Nunoo, who was at
the ECG’s Tema Regional Office to lodge a
complaint, threw up his hands in despair when
approached by this reporter.

“Today is Friday and we are going into the
weekend. If I am unable to get this problem
addressed, it means my family and I have to endure
three nights without power,” he told this
reporter.

Cape Coast

Shirley Asiedu-Addo reports that workers of the
ECG in Cape Coast dismissed customers to their
office, with the frontage draped in red.

A banner that hung in front of the office read:
"Leave ECG alone".

The workers also wore red armbands.

Ho

In Ho, ECG workers closed the gate to the offices
to prevent customers from entering the premises to
access services, reports Tim Dzamboe.

A banner that hung on the walls of the company
read: “Stop ECG concession now”.

At the time of the visit to the ECG yard, the
Daily Graphic observed that the room in which
prepaid credit was sold was virtually empty, as
the workers were holding an emergency meeting.

Source - graphic.com.gh

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