GRIDCo staff to withdraw emergency services over GHC1.2bn debt

According to the union ECG and NEDCo owes about GHC607 million and GHC177 million respectively. VALCO and PDS owes GRIDCo over US$32 million and GHS94 million respectively.

GRIDCo had complained that it is unable to expand its transmission lines due to huge debts owed it.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the President of the Senior Staff and the Divisional Union of GRIDCo, Raphael Kornor, indicated that if their concerns are not addressed by December 4, 2019, they will embark on a sit-down strike.

“We are going to withdraw all emergency services. We are going to treat all emergency services within normal working hours. In times past GRIDCo staff will be sleeping, they will call you and you would have to wake up. Ladies and Gentlemen we cannot do that again because our efforts are becoming effortless.”

“From Friday 22nd November 2019, staff will treat all emergency work as normal work within the normal working hours. From Friday 29th November 2019, staff are going to march to the ECG office and picket in demand for our money. If by the close of work, Wednesday, December 4, 2019, all these things are not paid, we will declare a sit-down strike.”

He added that the staff will march to the head office of the ECG and the Ministry of Finance after seven days. They will picket to demand their money.

Raphael Kornor said: “We would be embarking on the action if these debts are not paid.”

This is coming weeks after the government terminated the PDS concession agreement and the ECG took full control of electricity distribution business in the southern part of Ghana which was hitherto being handled by PDS.