Tensions at Ghana’s Volta River Authority (VRA) have escalated as employees intensify calls for the ouster of acting Chief Executive Ing. Edward Obeng Kenzo, accusing him of advancing plans to privatize the state-owned power giant.
The backlash stems from lingering distrust over a controversial government proposal last year to merge VRA with the Bui Power Authority and restructure electricity distribution entities—a move workers argue masks a broader agenda to sell off public assets.
Employees claim Kenzo, who previously served as deputy CEO, has become the face of these privatization efforts since assuming the acting role following the departure of the former chief executive. Critics allege he was never formally appointed to the position, instead “imposing himself” into leadership. This has fueled suspicions among staff, who have draped protest banners across VRA facilities and circulated a scathing internal letter condemning his tenure.
A coalition of workers plans to heighten pressure today with a press conference, signaling a deepening rift between management and labor. While recent leadership disputes in other state institutions often revolved around political ties to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), this conflict centers squarely on policy: workers fear Kenzo’s alignment with the merger plan could erode VRA’s public mandate, prioritizing private interests over Ghana’s energy security.
The stakes are high. As the backbone of the nation’s power generation, VRA’s stability directly impacts electricity access for millions. Privatization critics warn that fragmenting or selling its assets could destabilize grid management, hike consumer costs, and cede control of a strategic sector to foreign entities. Past attempts to privatize components of Ghana’s energy infrastructure, such as the 2023 debate over ECG concessions, have sparked similar public outcries, underscoring widespread skepticism of such reforms.
This latest standoff reflects a broader struggle across Ghana’s public sector, where workers increasingly view restructuring proposals as Trojan horses for austerity or corporate takeovers. With no immediate resolution in sight, the government faces mounting pressure to address transparency concerns—or risk further unrest in a sector too vital to ignore.
News Ghana reviewed the workers’ letter, which warns of “irreparable harm” to VRA’s mission if privatization proceeds. Neither Kenzo nor the Ministry of Energy has publicly responded to the allegations.
