DISGRACE! Parliament settles GH¢8m out of GH¢13m owed ECG to avoid disconnection

In a bid to avoid disconnection from the national power grid, Parliament made a partial payment of about GH¢8 million out of the GH¢13 million it owed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

The payment was made on Monday, March 20, 2023, when the revenue mobilization taskforce from ECG stormed the legislative house.

The exercise is part of ECG’s ongoing effort to recover over GH¢5 billion of debt accrued by private and state institutions for non-payment since August 2022.

The power distributor has announced the closure of its main offices, except for customer support departments, for a month-long exercise aimed at retrieving all monies owed to the company.

All ECG staff, from top management to junior officers, will be involved in the exercise. The move is expected to help the company recover debts and reduce its financial burden, which has been a major challenge for the power distributor over the years.

The decision by Parliament to settle part of its debt to ECG comes as a relief to the power company, which has been grappling with low revenue inflows due to high levels of debt owed by various entities.

The company has been facing a difficult financial situation, which has forced it to undertake several measures to reduce its debt burden and improve its operations.

The payment by Parliament is a positive development and a step in the right direction towards resolving the debt crisis facing the power sector.

It sends a signal to other debtors that they need to honor their obligations to ECG, failing which they risk disconnection from the national power grid.

In conclusion, the ongoing exercise by ECG to recover debts owed by private and state institutions is a step in the right direction.

The partial payment made by Parliament is commendable and should be emulated by other debtors.

It is important for all entities to pay their debts to ECG to ensure the smooth operation of the power sector and to avoid disruptions in the supply of electricity.