The Ministry of Energy has requested Parliament to suspend the controversial Ghana Energy Regulatory Authority Bill, which seeks to merge the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) with the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) and create an independent Thermal Power Authority from the thermal plants of the Volta River Authority (VRA).
The request was made in a statement signed by the Minister of State at the Energy Ministry, Herbert Krapah, urging Parliament to halt further deliberations on the bill, which has created tension and uncertainty in the energy sector.
“The Ministry respectfully requests Parliament to suspend consideration of the aforementioned Bill to enable us to hold further consultative,” part of the statement read.
The Energy Bill, encompassing several key legislative proposals—the Ghana Thermal Authority Bill, 2024, Ghana Hydro Authority Bill, 2024, Ghana Power Distribution Authority Bill, 2024, and Ghana Energy Regulatory Authority Bill, 2024—has faced mounting opposition from various stakeholders, including senior staff at the VRA.
The VRA’s senior staff, in particular, have strongly opposed the proposed merger, expressing concerns that it would undermine the operational efficiency and stability of the authority.
They have staged demonstrations to register their displeasure, arguing that the merger outlined in the draft bill currently before Parliament would negatively impact the VRA’s ability to manage its resources and deliver reliable energy services.
Similarly, staff of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) in the Upper East Region have been demonstrating against the proposed mergers between ECG and NEDCo, and VRA and Bui Power, describing the move as needless.
Meanwhile, the Senior Staff Association of VRA has expressed cautious optimism following the Ministry of Energy’s request for Parliament to suspend the contentious Bill
While the association welcomes the temporary halt, it firmly believes that a complete withdrawal of the bill, rather than merely a suspension, is the only acceptable solution.
Theophilus Tetteh Ahia, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of the VRA, indicates that “Our request to the minister and the president is a total withdrawal of this bill because it will not benefit the people of Ghana as we have been saying.”
He stressed that the proposed bill would cause more harm than good to the people of Ghana, underscoring the association’s long-standing objections to the legislation.
Mr. Ahia noted that suspending the bill, while a positive step, is not enough to mitigate the risks posed by its eventual passage.