Edward Abambire Bawa, the Member of Parliament for Bongo and a member of the Mines and Energy Committee in Parliament, has alleged that the resignation of Samuel Dubik Mahama, the Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), was forced due to government mismanagement, corruption, and theft.
Samuel Dubik Mahama, who took office as the MD of ECG on May 16, 2022, submitted his resignation after two years in the role.
In his resignation letter, Mr. Mahama cited personal reasons and expressed gratitude to the ECG board for the opportunities afforded him. However, according to Edward Bawa, the real reasons behind Dubik Mahama’s departure run deeper.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s morning show Adekyee Mu Nsem, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu, Hon.Bawa explained that Dubik Mahama had faced immense pressure from both the ECG board, staff and government.
He claimed that Mr. Mahama had written a letter to the president, warning that the government’s failure to pay ECG its required funds could lead to the company’s collapse.
Hon. Bawa suggested that this plea was ignored, and it was one of the many reasons which forced Dubik Mahama to resign.
“The ECG boss was pushed out because he couldn’t function under the mismanagement, corruption, and theft plaguing the energy sector,” Hon. Bawa remarked.
He added that Dubik Mahama’s attempts to manage ECG’s financial struggles, including retrieving over GH¢2 billion in debt in one month in 2023, were not enough to overcome the systemic issues caused by government inefficiencies.
Edward Bawa also raised concerns about the government’s handling of Ghana’s energy sector, warning that the sector is on the brink of collapse due to crippling debt and mismanagement.
“If the energy sector were a private entity, it would have already collapsed. It’s in dire straits, and urgent action is needed to prevent a full breakdown,” Hon. Bawa said.
In addition to these financial woes, ECG has been facing significant operational challenges, including issues with prepaid meter billing.
Hon. Bawa mentioned that customers have often complained about negative balances on their meters, which were explained as being caused by a loss of connection between the meters and ECG’s server.
However, insiders suggest the problem was linked to faulty accounting software recently introduced by ECG, contributing to the company’s mounting losses.
Hon. Bawa also criticized the government’s failure to manage Ghana’s gas resources, which he claims do not meet the country’s energy needs.
He alleged that additional funds required to purchase supplementary gas have not been allocated, further exacerbating the energy crisis.
“The mismanagement, corruption, and thievery within this government are deeply troubling, especially in the energy sector,” Hon.Bawa concluded, calling for immediate reforms to prevent further damage to Ghana’s energy infrastructure.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh (#RomeoWrites✍️) / Ahotoronline.com | Ghana
