The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has called for the privatisation of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to make them effective and efficient.
Otumfuo made the call on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at the commissioning of the Kumasi Pipeline PPO2.
“VRA is a government establishment, let’s give it out and divert it to the private sector and get the right people to man it so that we make money. GRIDCO is a private company, let’s give them the money, get qualified people and let them do the work, ” he said.
According to the Asantehene, “the ECG must be given to a private entity. Why are we holding onto something when you don’t have the money…We hanging on to industries that we cannot maintain and run. It’s about time we faced reality and decided on what the government should do and the private sector to do.”
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The commissioned project forms part of a network of 430 km long line with 23 gas stations that supply natural gas from the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) at the Prestea Regulating and Metering Station (PRMS).
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was happy that the project had been completed despite the many frustrations during its development.
“My son and grandson (Matthew Opoku Prempeh and Baffour Asamoah Agyei) here were accused of taking some bribes from the company (Genser Energy). Estimation found that the entire project with Kumasi included would be more cost-effective and prudent while it would be higher without Kumasi; however, there was still opposition to it,” Otumfuo said.
According to Otumfuo Osei Tutu, it beats his imagination why the government tried to stall the project which was being funded by the private sector when the government lacked the financial capacity for it.
On his part, the Board Chair of Genser Power Africa, Nana Osae Nyampong VI; commended the Asantehene for his role in bringing the project to fruition saying but for the encouragement and backing of the Asantehene, the project would have remained a dream and a sketch on paper.
He stressed that “there were times I became so discouraged but you always edged me on and that is why you are seeing what you see today. I am very grateful to you.”
To him the state must only serve as regulator and not managers of enterprises, noting that, “today’s function is indeed palpable evidence of what private endeavour can do as against what a government entity could achieve.”
Also at the ceremony were the Energy Minister, Hon Matthew Opoku Prempeh; former Deputy Energy Minister, William Owuraku Aidoo; Deputy Minister for Trade, Nana Dokua Asiamah Adjei; Chairman of the Oppenheimer Generation, Jonathan Oppenheimer; and the Chief Executive Officer of Genser Energy Investments LLC, Baffour Asiamah Adjei.