Staff groups of the Volta River Authority (VRA) have voiced their opposition to a draft bill proposing the merger of VRA with the Bui Power Authority. The proposal in question will also see the consolidation of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) with the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), and the creation of an independent Thermal Power Authority from VRA’s thermal plants if passed. But the workers say “the Volta River Authority was built for the people and not the highest bidder.”
The rest of the bills being pushed by the Energy Ministry include 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 contend that these changes are not in the best interest of Ghanaians and could have serious negative impacts on both the VRA and the nation as a whole.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the staff groups stressed that the proposed reforms could weaken VRA’s contributions to the national grid and compromise energy security. The statement also recalled a meeting with the VRA Board Chairman in May 2024, during which assurances were provided that there were no plans to privatise the Authority’s thermal assets.
