Staff of the Volta River Authority (VRA) have expressed strong opposition to a proposed draft bill that seeks to merge VRA with the Bui Power Authority and consolidate the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) into a single entity. The bill also proposes the establishment of an independent Thermal Power Authority, carved out from VRA’s thermal plants.
The workers are resisting this move, arguing that “the Volta River Authority was built for the people, not for the highest bidder,” implying that the merger would prioritize profits over public interest. In addition to the proposed merger bill, the Energy Ministry is also pushing for the passage of several other bills, including the Ghana Thermal Authority Bill, Ghana Hydro Authority Bill, Ghana Power Distribution Authority Bill, Ghana Nuclear Power Corporation Bill, and Ghana Energy Regulatory Authority Bill.
However, the VRA workers strongly disagree with these proposed changes, arguing that they do not serve the best interests of Ghanaians and could have far-reaching and devastating consequences for both VRA and the country at large. The workers believe these bills could lead to severe negative impacts, potentially harming the nation’s energy sector and the public.
The group issued a statement on Wednesday September 4 highlighting concerns that the proposed reforms could undermine VRA’s vital contributions to the national grid and jeopardize energy security. The statement also referenced a meeting with the VRA Board Chairman in May 2024, where they were assured that there were no plans to privatize the Authority’s thermal assets, a promise they believe is now being reneged on.
