Dr. Steve Manteaw, Chairman of the Coalition of Stakeholders on Electricity Contracts and Arrangements, has rejected the notion that Ghanaian managers are inherently corrupt and incompetent in handling public or state assets.
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He contended that the main problem lies in political interference and emphasized the necessity of protecting public enterprises from unwarranted political influence.
In a discussion on JoyNews’ National Dialogue on the Power Sector on Thursday, April 18, 2024, Dr. Manteaw asserted that political figures often disregard the country’s laws.
He stressed that vacancies in public sector institutions, including state-owned enterprises, should be filled through the proper channels, such as the Public Services Commission.
“So if a vacancy becomes available, it’s supposed to be advertised, and those who feel competent enough to do the job apply and then they get the job, and when they are working, they don’t need to look at the face of any politician,” he said.
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Dr. Manteaw elaborated that presently, positions within state-owned enterprises, including junior roles like communications or public relations officers, are frequently awarded based on political connections rather than merit.
He proposed that the challenges within Ghana’s power sector may partly stem from the failure to appoint suitable individuals to appropriate roles.
“If we went through a competitive process, and gave the needed space for these people to work, I’m pretty sure they will deliver.
“I believe strongly that the reasons that we are today not told the entire truth about what is happening in the sector is because of political considerations and the fear that we will be handing over some advantage to the opposition party to campaign against the sitting government,” Dr Manteaw said.
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