ECG workers: Strike not best option
A very critical resource for national development is under strain over management roles.
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As the government and the Public Utility Workers Union (PUWU) tango over the future management of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), consumers are suffering, with some sleeping in darkness.
The disagreement between the employer and employees fits the saying: “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”
It is sad that customers of the ECG are facing the brunt of the workers’ actions as they fight the government over its decision to give the ECG to a concessionaire.
Public education on the arrangements the government has entered into with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for the release of nearly $500 million to revamp the ECG appears not to be making the desired impact.
Unless it is for mischievous reasons, it is difficult to understand why workers of the ECG insist that the government wants to privatise the ECG, in spite of persistent explanation by the government that the power company will not be privatised.
Perhaps the confusion arises from the fact that government officials, in their attempt to allay the fears of the workers and the public, use privatisation and concession interchangeably.
It is about time the government stuck to what its agreement with the MCC for the power sector is about, so that all Ghanaians will sing from the same hymn book.
The power sector is very important to the government to enable it to carry out its policies and programmes.
Last week, workers of the ECG embarked on a half-day strike for three days and although they said they were not on strike, customers were turned away.
Yesterday, the workers began another two-day protest against what they described as “gross disrespect and lack of trust” showed them by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).
The MiDA contends that the decision by 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 actions of the ECG workers have become overly disruptive and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the government must begin serious dialogue to get the social partners to buy into the second compact.
The Daily Graphic is worried about the level of mistrust between the government and the ECG workers, years after the stakeholders began engagements between the government and the ECG workers.
We will take a position on the future direction of the ECG in so far as it inures to the benefit of the people.
However, that is not desirable now as we seek solutions to the impasse, and that is why we appeal to the parties in dispute to return to the table to iron out the grey areas of the second compact that seem to be ruffling feathers.
The Daily Graphic reminds the parties to put Ghana first in their desire to push through their agenda. There must not be any winner in the present struggle between the government and the workers to make the ECG a going concern to serve the power needs of the people at affordable tariffs.
