Public Utility Workers Union in Ghana applauds the support of PSI
19 July 2016
This was said during their 11th quadrennial delegates’ conference at the Public Service workers union centre in Adiemra, Kumasi from the 10th to the 12th of July 2016 under the theme: “Ensuring an efficient and reliable service delivery in the utilities sector: The role of stakeholders’’.
The General Secretary added that workshops and conferences organised by PSI for its members have built their capacity in becoming better trade unionists.
"It will be a mark of ingratitude if I do not recognize and thank our global union federation, Public Services International, for their provision of technical assistance to the union. Their conferences and workshops which our members have attended have contributed in building their capacity for them to become better trade unionist. In these trying times of the privatization of Electricity Company of Ghana, they have given us advice and information that are assisting in our advocacy. In the same spirit, we appeal for more support in any form necessary to help resist this obnoxious privatization policy that is against the collective interests of all Ghanaians’’
PSI regional secretary, Mr. David Dorkenoo assured the union that PSI will continue to support them in their fight against privatization.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Honourable John Alexander Ackon affirmed the conference took place at the right time, a time when the nation is struggling with the introduction of a new billing system and the installation of new meters among others to sustain the energy sector.
"There is no doubt that most utility companies are facing challenges and the holding of the conference will give the opportunity to delve deeper into issues and come up with workable solutions and streamline operations.’’
Honourable Ackon urged the workers of the union to continue to put in their utmost best to help shape the utility sector.
The Secretary General of the TUC, Dr. Kofi Asamoah, stated that the solution to the utility problems in the country does not reside in privatization of ECG. This, he said, will be a landmark privatization whose consequences can be catastrophic.
He challenged the government to come and tell the union where privatization of utilities has worked out on the African continent.
‘’Government should come out and tell us where the concessions have worked, otherwise, our checks on the African continent and a few external countries outside the African countries have shown that the concession or the concessionaire or whatever they call it has not worked as it's being propagated.’’
The women's committee meeting paved the way for the main conference. In attendance was over 50 women from all the regions of Ghana to deliberate about the role of women in ensuring an efficient and reliable service delivery in the utilities sector.