Dr. Steve Manteaw, the Co-chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), has expressed worried over the act of politicians taken credit for the work done by technocratic institutions in the country.
Dr. Manteaw, emphasized that state-owned enterprises, are meant to operate as independent, commercially-oriented companies, free from undue political interference. He stressed that the achievements of these technocratic institutions should not be appropriated by elected officials for political gain.
This comes after the National Democratic Congress criticised President Akufo-Addo for his decision to relocate the AMERI Power Plant and rename it the Kumasi 1 Thermal Power Plant.
The NDC believes the decision is unrealistic and costly but the governing New Patriotic Party is touting and celebrating the move at a commissioning ceremony on Wednesday.
However, according to Dr. Manteaw, the Vota River Authority that solely funded the relocation and building of the infrastructure should be allowed to work without the “funfair”.
“Why should politicians be taking credit for work done by a technocratic institution like VRA? If you have state-owned enterprises, they are supposed to be companies and they do their work as expected of them.” He said
Dr. Manteaw continue “you have politicians taking credit for the work done by a company. If it is not the politicization of these institutions, what else could that be? VRA was set up to do these kinds of things and they are doing it. So why politicians should be dancing around and making funfair of it? I don’t understand it,”
Dr. Mantew’s remarks come at a time when there have been concerns about the increasing politicization of state-owned enterprises in Ghana. Experts have cautioned that such practices can undermine the integrity of the extractive industry and hinder the country’s efforts to maximize the benefits of its natural resources for the broader population.
Source: Elvisanokyenews