Energy Minister Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor has issued a strong warning to engineers at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). He told them to keep politics out of their engineering jobs. Dr. Jinapor stated plainly that engineers owe their loyalty to Ghana, not to any political party. He stressed this point during a crucial meeting in the Ashanti Region. This meeting included four regional managers, 21 district managers, and many ECG engineers.
The minister believes some engineers have been deliberately negligent. This has hurt the energy sector's good name. He explained that poor service delivery has also led to financial losses. The ECG loses money on power that customers pay for but do not use. Such failures damage the company's image. “Your job is that of an engineer and not a politician,” Dr. Jinapor told the engineers. He made it clear that if they want to be politicians, they must leave the ECG.
This situation fits into Ghana's ongoing efforts to improve its energy infrastructure. Frequent power outages, known as "dumsor," have historically troubled the nation's economic stability. Past governments have also struggled to ensure consistent power supply. Improving ECG's performance is key to attracting investment and supporting businesses. Reliable electricity is vital for jobs and overall economic growth. The government is also working to increase the country's power generation capacity. Plans are underway to add over 1000 MW of power to the Kumasi area.
Dr. Jinapor is committed to discipline within the energy sector. He stated his duty is to ensure all staff are dedicated. This dedication is needed for safe, quality, and stable power for everyone. He pointed out that managers, especially district managers, must also improve their performance. They are seen as the “face of the ECG.” Their actions directly affect the company's reputation. The minister will hold both managers and engineers accountable for failures.
To address these issues, a comprehensive command-and-control centre is being established. This new centre is a joint effort between the Ministry of Energy and the Energy Commission. It will use advanced technology to monitor service delivery across the country. Managers will get new phones with dedicated numbers. These phones will link them directly to the new system. This aims to ensure quicker responses to customer reports. The system will also track essential equipment like transformers. A new short code and phone number will be available for citizens to report power problems. The ECG will also receive new electric motorcycles and pickup trucks. These will help improve operational efficiency.