It has emerged that Ghana’s Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is stampeding the work of Peter Amewu — a colleague Minister for Energy in the Akufo-Addo government.
Ranking Member on Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, Adam Mutawakilu made this disclosure on Accra-based Citi FM, monitored by Dailymailgh.com.
Mr. Mutawakilu, who doubles as the spokesperson for the Minority on energy further alleged that the Independent Power Producers and other stakeholders have been ordered to report directly to Mr Ofori-Atta instead of the Energy Minister.
The Damongo lawmaker, who described the development as unhealthy, is thinking of dragging the two Ministers before the Energy Committee and to among others answer questions on the increasing debt at the sector.
“I have discussed the matter with the Chairman [of the Energy Committee] and I think that we will invite the Minister for Energy. The Minister of Finance has now hijacked the work of the Minister for Energy, even Independent Power Producers now report to the Minister for Finance”, Mutawakilu reportedly said.
He further added: “They’ve rendered the Minister for Energy useless. We will summon the Minister of Energy first and where necessary, we will bring the Minister of Finance”.
Commenting on the recent strike action by workers of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO), Mr Mutawakilu told Citi FM that the Energy Minister must brief them on steps being taken to settle the hefty debt.
“The morale of staff is not sound because of frustrations. They will not be able to out their bests to ensure the lights are on and therefore President Nana Akufo-Addo should not take us back to dumsor… He should resolve all the challenges facing GRIDCo, extended to ECG and NEDCo with immediate effect”, he told the news portal.
The strike action by GRIDCO span from huge accumulated debt by state institutions including ECG and NEDCO— both power distributions platforms who owe about GHS 607 million and GHS 177million respectively.
The power producer further alleges that two other companies VALCO and PDS owe a total amount of $32million and GHS 94million respectively.
Staff of GRIDCO plan to picket offices of the ECG and the Finance Ministry in demand for their money after seven days.
Source: J. Ofori, Daily Mail GH