The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union of Ghana (ICU-Ghana) has cautioned the government against any approach to private sector participation in the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) that could result in the outright sale of the state owned power distributor.
In a statement issued on January 1, 2026, the General Secretary of ICU-Ghana, Mr. Morgan Ayawine, described ECG as a strategic national asset whose operations are central to the daily lives of households, the functioning of businesses, and the growth of Ghana’s industrial sector.
According to the union, while improving productivity and efficiency within ECG is necessary, particularly as the country works to consolidate recent economic recovery efforts, any reforms must be carefully designed to protect the company’s public interest mandate and long term national value.
Of particular concern is the issue of private sector participation in the Electricity Company of Ghana. As an essential public entity serving a wide spectrum of the Ghanaian populace, government must exercise caution and avoid the outright sale of ECG, while maintaining it as one of the nation’s most vital and indispensable assets, Mr. Ayawine said.
The statement comes amid ongoing debate over the future of ECG, with the government having approved private sector participation in the utility in April 2025 as part of broader reforms to improve billing, revenue collection, and service delivery while reducing technical and commercial losses.
The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has repeatedly denied plans to sell ECG, insisting that the Private Sector Participation framework is not a sale or divestiture but involves strategic deployment of private expertise through multiple concession arrangements.
Workers led by the Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) have strongly opposed the move, pointing to a jointly agreed turnaround programme that has reportedly yielded about 90 percent improvement in revenue, drastically reduced system losses, and ensured more stable power supply for consumers. PUWU has called for the turnaround programme to run its full course before considering private sector involvement.
The debate is complicated by historical context. A previous attempt at private sector participation between 2018 and 2020 under the Power Distribution Services arrangement collapsed after the government terminated the concession amid disputes over performance and compliance, heightening worker skepticism toward private involvement in ECG operations.
ICU-Ghana acknowledged the government’s ongoing efforts to stabilise the economy and foster a more positive recovery environment under the reset agenda. However, the union stressed that these gains would only be meaningful if backed by practical and sustainable socio economic policies.
It urged the government to prioritise economic interventions that support industrial expansion and job creation, warning that rising unemployment could pose a serious threat to national development if not urgently addressed.
The positive atmosphere government has created through its economic recovery efforts under the reset agenda must be sustained through the practical demonstration and application of sound socio economic policies that will lead to an improved standard of living for the generality of Ghanaians, the statement noted.
Beyond government policy, the union also appealed to employers across sectors to promote employee friendly working environments that encourage dialogue, industrial peace, and workplace harmony, which it said are essential for sustained productivity and economic growth.
In his New Year message, Mr. Ayawine urged workers across the country to embrace diligence, productivity, and collaboration as Ghana enters 2026, stressing that active participation in national economic activities is vital for growth and development.
