Ghana’s intended privatization of its utility body (Electricity Company of Ghana) which provides electricity to the consumer and bills them has come under scrutiny by a former Deputy British High Commissioner, Craig Murray.
Mr. Murray believes that the much talked about privatization being championed by the International Monetary Fund and the USA when pursued and implemented would only benefit the wealthiest in the west much to the detriment of the poor in Ghana.
He said all the Independent Power Producers in Ghana are heavily financed by the western firms which take a chunk of the profits they make at the expense of the Ghanaian economy.
“Those private sector Independent Power Producers actually provide less than 20% of electricity generation into the grid – yet scoop up over 60% of the revenues! The electricity bills of Ghana’s people go to provide profits to fat cat foreign corporations and of course the western banks who finance them.”
“Indeed, in thirty years close experience the net result of all IMF activity in Africa is to channel economic resources to westerners – and not to ordinary western people, but to the wealthiest corporations and especially to western bankers.
“Not content with the devastation they have already caused, the IMF and the USA are now insisting on the privatisation of ECG. The rationale is that a privatized ECG will be more efficient and ruthless in collecting revenue from the poor and from hospitals, clinics, schools and other state institutions.
“Doubtless it will be. It will of course be more efficient in channelling still more profits to very rich businessmen and bankers. I suspect that is the real point. That privatized utilities bring better service and cheaper prices to the consumer has been conclusively and forever disproven in the UK. What it does bring is huge profits to the rich and misery to the poor. To unleash this on Ghana is acutely morally reprehensible,” Mr. Murray argued in a post.
By: Kasapafmonline.com/Ghana
