However, the Power Distribution Services (PDS) scandal has left the MCC with no option but to walk away from the corridors of corruption. A Joy News report said the MCC has confirmed it has no “immediate plans to work again in Ghana,” spelling doom for the deal.
As part of the deal, Ghana was due to receive $190m in 2019 but the failed 20-year takeover of the ECG by PDS pushed everything to a standstill.
Currently, Ghana’s power sector is on life support with debts to Independent Power Producers piling up. The debt is at least $1.5 billion, a situation that is a contributory factor to the country’s current power crisis.
Reacting to the news, John Mahama who is leading the NDC to the upcoming general elections said it was sad to lose the deal due to “Nana Addo and Bawumia’s corrupt” governance. He said if he assumes office in 2025, he will ensure efficiency in the sector.
Mahama also promised to “prioritize accountability” and conduct a “thorough investigation of the PDS scandal.”
See the full statement by John Mahama
It’s disheartening to learn that the $190 million we negotiated for private sector participation in electricity distribution under the US Millennium Compact has been lost due to Nana Addo and Bawumia’s corrupt, ‘yenkyendi’, and cronyistic governance practices.
This is unacceptable, and we deserve better as a people.
My administration will prioritise accountability and ensure a thorough investigation of the PDS scandal to hold those involved accountable.
Let’s stand together, fight against corruption and cronyism, and work towards building the Ghana we want.
