Staff of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) are demanding the complete withdrawal of the Energy Sector Bill currently before Parliament, submitted by the Ministry of Energy. In a protest held in Tamale, the workers expressed their dissatisfaction with the bill, despite the Energy Minister, Herbert Krapa, temporarily halting its progress in Parliament.
They stressed that a swift withdrawal would allow them to return to focusing on serving their customers effectively. Emmanuel Asare, Chairman of the Northern Area Senior Staff Association, voiced the employees’ mistrust of political promises, emphasizing their concerns that the bill, though currently on hold, could be reintroduced at any time.
He also highlighted how the looming Energy Sector Bill is disrupting productivity across VRA and NEDCo operational areas, calling for immediate government action. The staff have appealed to the government to heed their demands and fully withdraw the bill. This protest follows earlier discontent among NEDCo workers, who opposed the proposed merger of their company with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The workers previously criticized the government for failing to consult them before sending a draft merger of the Energy Sector Bill to Parliament. The merger plan, which also includes VRA and the Bui Power Authority, has been met with strong resistance, as employees believe it is not in the best interest of the energy sector or the nation.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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