Senior Staff Association (SSA) of Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), have expressed worries about the indebtedness of the company’s major customer Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
According to SSA, GRIDCo is struggling to improve its market share, increase revenue and improve cash flow due to embedded power generation, forex and technical losses due to aging transmission and infrastructure.
Addressing these challenges and making the operations of GRIDCo financially viable and resilient, would require that management and the SSA forge a strong partnership to find the best ways to optimize Energy trading, invest in grid modernization, enhance billing and collection.
SSA believes would also review existing Fibre Optic Agreements, reduce operational cost, improve staff motivation, training, development, and retention, explore emerging export markets, seek tax waiver on the import of our major equipment, seek full implementation of the Cash Waterfall mechanism (CWM), and aggressively pursue debt recovering mechanisms.
Addressing the 7th Biannual national delegates congress in Tamale, National chairman, Mr Wisdom K
Adenyo said collaborative effort with the leadership of other Staff Groups in the energy sector, namely, VRA, ECG, Ghana Gas and NEDCo to provide stable and reliable power supply to customers to keep the lights on remains their priority.
GRIDCo, Mr Adenyo said, has made significant strides over the last 16 years in ensuring that Ghana enjoys stable electricity; a vital ingredient for national development.
This, he observed, was due to the hard work and dedication of every staff member, and we have seen tremendous growth in the sector.
Recruitment of external persons
Touching on safeguarding Staff’s conditions of Service, Mr. Adenyo reminded staff of the tussle between the SSA leadership and Management over clear breaches of conditions of Service, particularly with the recruitment of external persons to fill key positions in the Company over the last three years.
The practice of recruiting new officers and placing them over and above comparatively more competent and experienced serving staff, SSA chairman observed if not managed well, could demoralize staff and result in staff disengagement and low productivity.
These recruitments, apart from not being done in line with our Conditions of Service, also have huge implications on the Company’s wage bill, resulting from the Company’s low cashflow.
Mr. Adenyo has presented a position paper on GRIDCo’s challenges to the sector minister Mr John Jinapor, during which he promised to evolve GRIDCo from its current status of a Limited Liability Company to an Authority, which will greatly inure to the benefit of the Company as a whole.
The congress was on the theme; ’’Forging Partnership for a Resilient and Sustainable Energy Future”.
The congress supervised by the northern regional directorate of the electoral commission had Incumbent National chairman, Mr Wisdom Kojo Adenyo retaining his position. Other executives elected includes National General Secretary Mr. Morrison Edem Essah, Ms. Vida Aheto Abakwam retained her position as National Assistant General Secretary and Mr. Saani Sulemana, National Treasurer, retained.
The three-days event was attended by management of GRIDCo and representatives of NEDCo on the theme for your Congress, “Forging Partnerships for a Resilient and Sustainable Energy Future”. Northern region Chief Labour Officer, Mr Mustahpa Alhassan sworn in the executives.
