Regional and district offices of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) will from today [Wednesday] to Friday, be shut down for three hours; between 8am to 11am, in protest of government's decision to cede the management of ECG to a private entity.
The Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) is at the forefront of this protest and has called on government to review the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact which seeks to cede the ECG to private investors for a period of 25 years.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday [Tuesday] when PUWU served notice of this protest, it urged government to rescind its decision which could lead to lay-offs if the MCC compact is seen through.
TUC backs PUWU
The Trades Union Congress (TUC), has thrown its weight behind PUWU indicating that dialogue between the unions and government is yielding no fruits.
The TUC Secretary General, Dr. Yaw Baah said, “The workers are not doing this for their sake. After all, we have got the promise from the president that for the next 5 years, no worker is going to lose his or her job but that is not going to stop us because we are not fighting only for ourselves. We are fighting for this country.”
Dr. Baah noted that 360 state enterprises were privatised between 1990 and 2006 and “we are still selling but it not giving us any results. Why are we still selling?”
He also bemoaned the lack of trust and opportunities given on the part of government to PUWU.
“The union is saying they are not against the MCC. The union is saying that let us change the form and that they are ready to take the challenge. Give them three years to turn round and give them the same playing field. Why is that we are not giving them that opportunity? Why is that we are listening to everybody but our own Ghanaians?”
‘We support this cause’ – Public Services Workers
The Public Services Workers Union (PSWU), has also thrown their support behind PUWU. The General Secretary of PSWU, Richard Amperbeng said this is in solidarity with their colleagues.
He also warned that “By the time we see, in five years, there will be nothing called ECG, nothing called VR, nothing called GRIDCo. So this is the time for us to take action and stem this in the bud and I will say PSWU, we are ever ready, we support this cause.”
–
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Saglemi Housing Project will not be left to rot – Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Transport fares hike: GPRTU issue two-day ultimatum
ARC endorses Alan as presidential candidate – Buaben Asamoa
Akufo-Addo appoints Kwasi Agyei as new Controller and Accountant-General
PNC dismiss reports of mass resignations
PAC advocates for revenue collectors to be engaged on commission basis, not full...
Genser Energy commissions 110km of natural gas pipeline at Anwomaso
Naa Torshie calls for tolerance, peace ahead of 2024 election
Asantehene commends Matthew Opoku Prempeh for conceiving GENSER Kumasi Pipeline ...
Let’s do away with ‘slash and burn politics’ in Ghana — Dr Adutwum
