The new Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Chairman, Kweku Awotwi has said ongoing process to restructure the operation of the Authority will not make its staff worse off.
According to him, the move is part of efforts to improve efficiency of the power producer.
Some VRA staff are not happy about the move and have vowed to fight the restructuring exercise; including selling off some of the company’s thermal plants.
But an advertisement by the Energy Ministry retorted otherwise.
“As part of government’s efforts to restructure the energy sector and optimising the operational efficiency of the power SOEs, a number of policy measures are being explored. Key among these measures is government’s consideration that separating VRA’s thermal operations from its hydro operations will improve their ability to favorably compete with other power generating companies significantly and return it to profitability,” the advert said.
Deputy Energy Minister, William Owuraku-Aidoo, at the inauguration of the VRA Board said, there should be more consultative exercises with all stakeholders to ensure a smoother restructuring.
“The Board is expected to address and carry out the governments’ policy directive on VRA restructuring and must ensure that it is inclusive, consultative and does not pose a potential disruption to the power sector,” Mr Owuraku-Aidoo said.
Speaking to Starr Business’ Osei Owusu Amankwah, Mr Awotwi said the exercise will ensure a positive transformation of VRA.
“I think the issue is to make sure that at the end of the day workers are not worse off; at the end of the day, we find more opportunities for our workers and to make sure this is a positive outcome not a negative outcome,” he said.
The VRA Board members are;
Kweku Andor Awotwi – Board Chairman
Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa – CEO
Richard Obeng Okrah – Member
Dr. Joyce Rosaline Aryee – Member
Nana Kobina Nketsia V – Member
El-Farouk Umar – Member
Musah Badimsugru – Member
Janet Anane – Member
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Osei Owusu Amankwah
