The Volta River Authority (VRA) staff in Akosombo in the Eastern Region on Thursday, September 26, 2024, embarked on a demonstration to express their strong opposition to a proposed draft bill.

The bill aims to merge VRA with Bui Power Authority, combine the Electricity Company of Ghana, (ECG) with the Northern Electricity Distribution Company ( NEDCO), and establish an independent thermal Power Authority from the VRA thermal plant.

The demonstrators converged at the Akosombo community center, matched through the principal street of Akosombo, and ended at the Atimpoku roundabout, where the leaders of the agitating staff addressed the media.

They called for the withdrawal of the bill currently in the consideration stage in Parliament for broader consultation.

The chairman of the group, Joseph Asare strongly argued that the intended decision by the government is not in the best interest of Ghanaians and could have severe consequences for the VRA and the country’s energy sector.

“What we are saying is that the bill, we have not had any engagement. We are major stakeholders and we ought to have been engaged so we all appreciate what goes into that bill. So we are saying the government should withdraw the bill and come for engagement”.

“We have engaged our leadership and management, the kind of engagement the government did is not intensive; it is not collaborative apparently. What we are saying is that the merger and separation should be done on a round table so that we all know what goes into it”.

He said the transition provision in the bill intends to move all VRA staff to thermal authority which will be managed by a private investor.

“There is a provision called transitional provision and all VRA staff are going to be moved to thermal, then of course Bui is going to take over the hydro authority. What is the stake of the staff? We need to appreciate all these,” he said.

Some other staff also added their voices saying the price of electricity will go high and average Ghanaians will suffer the consequences.

There were also concerns about potential job losses.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, said he will join the workers of VRA to resist the government.

Speaking to the media at his campaign launch in South Senchi, Asuogyaman, Thomas Ampem Nyarko stated that as the MP representing the area where the VRA is located, he shares the concerns of the staff and assured them that he will join the effort to resist the government’s privatization plans.

“I am convinced that VRA has been managed very well by Ghanaians so far, so I don’t believe all the reasons that they are ascribing for the sale of VRA asset. If you come to Akosombo today, you will see red bands all along. The workers of VRA are protesting the sale of this national asset and I as their representative will stand by them and fight and resist it so that it never happens.”

"Because we all feel that their intentions for doing this are to separate the thermal plant from the main Akosombo Power Hydro-Generation and then sell it and they will turn round and sell it to themselves, we cannot allow that to happen so we will resist it,” he said.

"What is worrying is the haste in which they try to lay those bills without any consultant. Nobody was consulted and if they have nothing to hide, why would they do this? We have asked them to do a wide consultation and listen to the people probably. After doing that you will see the reason why they should not try to sell this national treasure," he added.