An Open Letter to the Minister for Energy, the Minister for Finance, and Key Power Sector Stakeholders

Dear Honorable Ministers and Distinguished Stakeholders,

The Urgent Imperative for a Complete Overhaul of ECG: Aligning the National Power Grid with the "Reset Agenda" and the "24-Hour Economy"

We write to you at a defining moment in our nation's economic journey. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is currently facing an operational and financial crisis that can no longer be solved with temporary fixes or surface-level adjustments. Systemic asset losses—most notably the shocking disappearance of 1,300 containers of critical grid equipment at the port—demonstrate that the current utility framework remains highly vulnerable to waste, administrative leakage, and internal staff collusion.

The financial instability of ECG creates an unsustainable burden on the national treasury, complicates macroeconomic planning, and directly impacts Ghanaian consumers. If we are to achieve true national transformation, our power sector must be fully aligned with current strategic policy frameworks: the Reset Agenda for institutional governance and the realization of a true 24-Hour Economy. From heavy industrial complexes and the vibrant entertainment sector to local commercial hubs like our essential chop bars and everyday households, the entire country requires uninterrupted, affordable, and transparent power to sustain round-the-clock productivity.

A Positive Roadmap for Restructuring & Waste Prevention

By executing this overhaul using international utility standards, the government will achieve an immediate positive shift from massive institutional losses to sustainable national benefits:

ECG RESTRUCTURING: COST-BENEFIT MATRIX | CURRENT STATUS ANALYSIS (LOSSES) | PROJECTED RESTORATION TARGETS (BENEFITS)

• GH₵8 Billion annual commercial leakages

• Recovery of 95% of uncollected revenue

• 30% technical & distribution losses

• Reduction of distribution losses to <10%

• Opaque, manual port inventory loops

• 100% digital end-to-end asset tracking

• High consumer tariff vulnerabilities

• Stable, cost-effective base tariffs

To permanently reverse these wealth-degrading mechanics and protect public funds, we propose the immediate implementation of the following structural reforms:

• Establish a Power Grid Fit for the 24-Hour Economy: A continuous, three-shift economic model cannot run on an unstable power grid. Restructuring ECG using ISO 55001 (Asset Management) and international grid standards is essential to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply for manufacturers, hospitality businesses, entertainment venues, and households operating through the night.
• Execute the "Reset Agenda" for Institutional Accountability: We must thoroughly reset the governance structure of ECG. This requires moving away from politicized management systems, introducing international performance-benchmarked utility standards, and tying leadership tenure strictly to verifiable key performance indicators (KPIs) focused on grid reliability and absolute financial transparency.
• Enforce an International Employee Code of Conduct: Introduce an uncompromising, mandatory International Code of Conduct applied from top-to-bottom across all operational tiers. This framework will explicitly define zero-tolerance thresholds for financial malpractice, asset mishandling, and system manipulation, effectively insulating the grid from administrative corruption.
• Immediate Removal of Institutional Miscreants: In line with international standards for utility security, immediate dismissal protocols must be enforced against any employee found colluding in commercial power theft, bypassing meters, or falsifying inventory logs. To secure public trust, miscreants must be summarily sacked no matter whose ox is gored, ensuring that political or administrative affiliations never shield individuals from legal and corporate accountability.
• Enforce Independent, Ring-Fenced Revenue & Inventory Accounting: Implement automated, end-to-end digital tracking for all imported grid equipment and material assets from the port to the field. Revenue collection must be fully ring-fenced, eliminating the opaque distribution loops and accounting gaps that have historically hidden systemic overspending and financial infractions.
• Deploy Tamper-Proof Smart Grid Infrastructure to Prevent Commercial Losses: Eradicate commercial power theft and illegal connections by aggressively deploying advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and real-time network telemetry. This system must be insulated from human interference to prevent rogue utility personnel from colluding with consumers to bypass meters.
• Optimize Operational Expenditures and Reduce Corporate Waste: Conduct a thorough, independent forensic audit of ECG’s operational costs. Streamlining administrative overhead, eliminating duplicate line items, and enforcing strict procurement discipline will significantly lower the cost of service delivery, allowing for fairer tariff structures for both industrial and domestic users.

Honorable Ministers, continuing with the status quo is no longer an option. True economic resilience and the success of our most ambitious national development initiatives depend entirely on a stable power sector. By executing a comprehensive, internationally standard overhaul of ECG, you will protect public funds, support Ghanaian businesses, and restore public trust in our national institutions.

We stand ready to support the state in driving this vital national agenda forward.

✍️ Submitted by:
Retired Senior Citizen
For and on behalf of all Senior Citizens of the Republic of Ghana 🇬🇭

Teshie-Nungua
[email protected]