Workers at Ghana's major power distributor begin two-day strike

Staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ghana's major power distributor, intensified their protest against the planned privatization of the company with a two-day strike beginning Friday across the country.

In a circular to all members, the leadership of the Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) ordered staff of the power distributor to report to work but not to carry out any official duties on Friday and Monday.

Portions of the circular, however, advised the workers to pay attention to sensitive areas such as hospital theaters and security installations should a fault occur.

The strike has affected pre-paid customers who visited the premises of the firm to transact businesses.

Some offices of the company in Accra were seen locked Friday while other workers who reported to work were seen idling around.

The strike comes one week after staff of the ECG held a country-wide three-day, 3-hour boycott in protest of the government's plan to allow private sector participation in the company.

Thirty-three companies have already expressed interest in the concession arrangement to operate ECG for 25 years from 2017 under the Compact II of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) with the U.S. government.

Under the deal, government's partnership with the private sector will help the ECG collect its debts more efficiently and transform it in terms of technology and efficiency in power distribution.

The workers fear that the deal will result in job loss, calling on the government to review the compact. But the MiDA has allayed their fears, saying the concession arrangement will create more jobs in the power sector. Endit