Deputy Power Minister, John Jinapor says Monday’s protest by workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) demanding the removal of the Managing Director was premature.
He says even if Robert Dwamena’s tenure of office has expired it does not lie within the powers of the workers to call the shot. He would rather the Company’s Board makes that decision.
“I will be surprised that the staff will be up in arms against their Managing Director,” he told Araba Koomson, host of Joy FM’s Midday News programme Monday.
An agitation by workers of the nation’s power distributor over an alleged one-year extension of the tenure of the MD whom they suspect has passed the 60-year retirement age nearly turned bloody were it not for the intervention of the police. They broke a glass door in their bid to get access to the office.
Related Article: ECG staff demonstrate over extension of MD’s contract
The police succeeded in driving the aggrieved workers out of the premises of the company because they could not provide a permit for their protest.
National Secretary of ECG Staff Union Frank Adjetey Badu told Joy News they would not accept the extension of the tenure of Mr Dwamena.
He says information available to them revealed that “he has been given a one-year extension,” adding that explains their action.
But the Deputy Power Minister has described their action as needless, suspecting they are doing so because of government privatization of ECG.
“I know their issue has to do with the concession,” he said, noting the appointment of Mr Dwamena predates government decision to trade-off the company.
“I suggest they use the right means” he said.
Explaining progress of the concession process, Mr Jinapor said President John Mahama has set up a committee to consider issues raised by the ECG workers as well as other civil society groups for amicable settlement to be reached.
“We are confident that at the end of the day we shall have a good decision,” he said, urging anyone who has an issue with the privatization of the company to approach the committee to register their complaints.
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