The Chief Executive Officer of Independent Power Generators Ghana, Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, has mounted opposition to the proposed privatization of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) debt collection and billing services.
While he believes such moves are wasteful and counterproductive, rather, he advocates for the nationwide installatiion of prepaid meters to enhance ECG’s revenue mobilization efforts.
President John Dramani Mahama, in his first State of the Nation Address last week, disclosed that ECG has accumulated a debt of GH¢68 billion, raising concerns about its financial health and consequent ability to provide reliable electricity services. However, the IPGG Chief emphasized that ECG should focus on technological investments to address its recurring challenges. He further recommended that ECG invest in technologies to monitor voltage fluctuations in real time, enhancing service reliability.
“What we’re saying is that the tariffs should be cost-effective and should enable ECG to recover its most competitive or efficiency cost”, Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor said in an interview. “We’re not saying that we should support ECG’s inefficiencies; justifiable costs should be recovered through the tariffs.”
Further fortifying his assertion he indicated that power producers have recommended a better and efficient solutions. “We even proposed that stringent cost measures should be implemented in ECG’s administrative or operational activities. We looked at the issue of technology, we’re way behind with regards to technology in the power sector.
“There’s no where in the world where people are going after customers to come and pay bills. Implement pre-paid meters, automatically everybody pays for the services. Why waste resources to bring in companies to be going after customers for debt collection?. It’s a waste of resources.
“We talked about technologies that could help ECG monitor the voltage fluctuation in real time.”
