PURC Could Have Found A Better Strategy To Resolve Issues With ECG – Dr Manteaw Says

Dr. Steve Manteaw, Chairman of the Coalition of Stakeholders on Electricity Contracts and Arrangements, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) for its handling of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and overseeing power outages without informing consumers.

He suggested that the matter could have been more effectively resolved through stakeholder engagement, emphasizing that the events between the PURC and ECG in the public domain are regrettable.

In an Interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, April 20, Dr. Manteaw warned that the disagreements between the PURC and ECG could escalate into animosity and might eventually undermine industrial harmony and collaboration among the involved parties.

He clarified that the situation is regrettable because the issues between PURC and ECG could have been prevented. Manteaw emphasized that as a regulator, PURC’s role is not only to enforce industry rules but also to resolve disputes among stakeholders when they arise.

“So rather than flex its muscles openly, I believe the PURC could have adopted a different approach and created a forum for all the players, including the Ministry of Finance – because it is very critical to this discussion.

“And I doff my hat to the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament and the approach they adopted in getting to the bottom of this matter which settled the arguments as to whether we are in ‘dumsor’ or not.

“That’s what you do. You bring all the players into one room and then you actually argue your differences behind the scenes, and it is only when you come to some conclusion that you go public,” he said.