Ghana’s utility regulator threatens sanctions against striking main power distributor

The Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC)’s Public Relations and External Affairs Director, Nana Yaa Jantuah, told journalists here on Tuesday the failure of the company to insulate consumers against the effects of the worker’s protest constituted a breach of the law.

“The latest action by the staff of the company is a ‘very clear’ and ‘very categorical’ breach of the law. We are going to sanction them,” she stated.

Jantuah outlined a range of punitive measures the state regulator could hand down.

“There are penalty fines. There is also the issue where the CEO can be imprisoned. So the Commission can decide which one to use,” Jantuah said.

A former Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, observed that the recent labor agitations in the power sector could affect Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into the country.

“I do not know about the long-term effect; all I know is that it is wrong, as it sends a wrong signal to anyone who wants to come to invest in the power sector or any other sector of the economy as there is no discipline among both workers and management,” he stated. Enditem

Source: Xinhua/News Ghana