The former Board Chairman of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Osahene Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has issued a detailed response to comments made by former Volta River Authority (VRA) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, describing the latter’s claims as “factually inaccurate” and “misleading”.
Dr Wereko-Brobbey, during an appearance on TV3, linked ECG’s financial challenges to the tenure of Mr Afenyo-Markin and suggested he should be held accountable for the company’s “huge losses” recorded in 2023 and 2024.
But in a sharp rebuttal issued today, Sunday, 6 July 205, Mr. Afenyo-Markin clarified that he was not the ECG Board Chair in 2023, having only been appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on 16 July 2024, and sworn into office a day later.
“My tenure lasted approximately six months, ending in January 2025. As such, any attempt to link my leadership to events or decisions prior to that time or to attribute ECG’s financial challenges in 2023 or early 2024 to my leadership is misleading,” he said.
Describing the assertions made by Dr Wereko-Brobbey as “unsupported and factually inaccurate,” Mr Afenyo-Markin defended his record at ECG, pointing to reforms he spearheaded to reduce inefficiencies and strengthen oversight.
“At my very first board meeting on 31 July 2024, I led the Board to implement a major policy shift in ECG’s approach to procurement and contract management,” he explained.
“I abolished the outdated system where vendors handed over Bills of Lading without proper verification, and introduced a model that ensured payment only after verified delivery at ECG facilities. This reform saved the company significant costs.”
Mr Afenyo-Markin also emphasised his efforts to revive and accelerate the Loss Reduction Programme introduced under the Akufo-Addo administration, aimed at modernising ECG’s metering systems and closing loopholes that enabled non-technical losses.
“Many of ECG’s installed meters had expired, and large sections of the country were still without prepaid metering. I prioritised expanding prepaid coverage to ensure more accurate billing and reduce revenue losses,” he stated.
He further noted that under his leadership, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) received the highest cumulative payments in recent years part of a broader effort to strengthen the energy sector and restore investor confidence.
“I have never supported tariff increments or new levies as the primary solution to ECG’s challenges. I have consistently advocated for structural reforms that cut waste and seal leakages, not the imposition of burdens on the consumer,” Mr Afenyo-Markin asserted.
He was particularly critical of recent government policy moves, including the GHC1 Energy Sector Levy per litre of fuel at the pump and two electricity tariff hikes in 2025, totalling a 17.2% increase.
“Tariffs, when necessary, must be justified by efficiency not imposed to cover mismanagement. ECG’s problems are rooted in systemic inefficiencies, not revenue shortfalls,” he said.
Quoting internal reports during his tenure, Mr Afenyo-Markin revealed that less than 30% of electricity consumers were paying for the power they used, with the remainder lost through illegal connections and faulty billing systems.
“It is therefore misguided to resort to frequent tariff hikes or new levies without fixing these deep-rooted inefficiencies. These are the real inefficiencies we must address. Without meaningful reforms, no amount of revenue generation through levies will resolve the challenges ECG faces,” he warned.
Mr Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the efforts of his predecessors in digitising ECG’s revenue systems and initiating early loss-reduction strategies, adding, “My role was to build on their work, which I did to the best of my ability within my brief tenure.”
Directing a pointed message to Dr Wereko-Brobbey, he said: “I welcome dissenting views, but same must be grounded in verifiable facts. Your comments are unfortunate and do not reflect the spirit of constructive national discourse. If you possess evidence to substantiate your claims, I challenge you to present it publicly.”
He concluded with a reaffirmation of his commitment to ECG reform and improved service delivery, saying: “I will remain focused on advocating for non-partisan reforms at ECG that deliver value to the Ghanaian people.”
