The senior staff members of GRIDCo has demonstrated against the colossal amounts owed the company by other entities.
The entities are namely Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO). The debts declared at their recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) was an amount of GH¢814 million. According to GRIDCo, VALCO owes it US$30-million, ECG and NEDCo also owe about GH¢600 million and GH¢177 million respectively.
According to the senior staff of the power company, GRIDCo is hemorrhaging under the debts as they are cash strapped and not able to pay their vendors. Their equipment are overage and need replacement, one senior staff said.
THE PETITION
The demonstrating staff presented their petition to the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday, 3rd December 2019. They have given an ultimatum of 10 December 2019 by which date management should have mobilized some funds. They also demand GHS250 million to be paid by the Finance Ministry. President Nana Akuffo Addo, gave a directive for this amount to be paid to the company in May 2018 but so far they have not received it.
The group is contemplating a sit-down strike if they see no progress. If no remedies come through,it is likely that GRIDCo staff’s sit down strike may fall within the Christmas period which would hamper power distribution during the festive season.
