Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Theophilus Tetteh Ahia, has refuted claims that privatization of the company is the panacea to ending the erratic power supply in the country, locally known as ‘DUMSOR’.
Notable personalities such as the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II and energy expert Kwadwo Poku are among those who argue that privatizing the energy sector would bless the nation.
Addressing the gathering during the commissioning of the 430km Genser Gas Pipeline in Kumasi in April, the ruler of the Asante people opined that the government should allow private entities to manage the power sector while it focuses on policies.
“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 it. ECG is in a situation we do not know. That company must be given to a private entity,” the Asantehene stated.
However, Theophilus Tetteh Ahia has rebuffed those assertions saying the state enterprises that have been privatized are not doing better than the Volta River Authority and GRIDCo.
“In recent times, there have been calls from people for VRA thermal operations to be privatized. We are in this country; we have seen a lot of state-owned institutions being privatised. I don’t think we can point one out and say, look, yes, we did privatise this one and it is one of the best that we see. A lot of them have gone under and people have lost their jobs.”
Also, Theophilus Ahia revealed that the power crisis in the country is not caused by VRA’s inability to supply enough power. He said VRA operates at full capacity and delivers what is expected of it to the state.
According to him, “all VRA thermal plants are available and running and contributing to the national grid. All the VRA plants are running and contributing to the national grid, efficiently, 100% owned by Ghanaians and delivering to the people of this country.
He said it surprises VRA staff to hear calls for privatization. “…sometimes it beats our imagination to hear that we should sell the state entities that are doing well, and that are supporting us.”