Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo‑Markin has strongly pushed back against attempts by Dr. Charles Wereko‑Brobbey to associate him with financial mismanagement at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The Effutu MP and former Board Chairman of ECG described the remarks made during a recent interview as misleading and factually incorrect.
At the center of the controversy is the trajectory of ECG reform, which Afenyo‑Markin claimed he diligently pursued during his short tenure.
“My attention has been drawn to remarks by Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey, a former Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), during an interview on the TV3 network. In his commentary concerning the performance of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the energy sector, Dr. Wereko-Brobbey sought to—quite regrettably—implicate my leadership at ECG.”
Alexander Afenyo‑Markin
Accordingly, Hon. Afenyo‑Markin clarified that he did not hold the position of ECG Board Chairman in 2023, contrary to claims made by Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey.
He stated that his appointment came from former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo‑Addo on July 16, 2024, with his official swearing-in taking place the following day. He chaired his first board meeting on July 31, 2024, and his tenure lasted until January 2025.
He noted that, therefore, any efforts to associate him with decisions or financial challenges at ECG before his appointment—particularly those in 2023 or early 2024—are inaccurate and misleading.
Afenyo‑Markin asserted that the claim he should be held responsible for “huge losses” in 2023 and 2024 is “unsupported, and factually inaccurate.”
He went on to outline key measures he initiated to support ECG reform and improve financial accountability.
According to him, he led a policy shift on procurement and contract management at his first board meeting.
He noted that for years, ECG accepted Bills of Lading from vendors delivering goods to the port without validating the items upon arrival, leading to financial exposure.
“I immediately abolished this outdated model and replaced it with a transparent, accountable procurement system where payment is made only after verified delivery of goods at ECG’s own facilities.”
Alexander Afenyo‑Markin
This change, according to him, “saved the Company significant costs.”
Another pillar of his reform strategy was energizing the Loss Reduction Programme introduced by then-President Akufo‑Addo. Afenyo‑Markin noted that many meters in use were outdated or defective, contributing to significant billing inefficiencies.
“As Board Chair, I prioritized the modernization of ECG’s metering infrastructure, expanding prepaid metering coverage, and closing the loopholes that enabled non-technical losses,” he said, tying these efforts into a broader ECG reform agenda focused on improving revenue efficiency.
Afenyo-Markin Strongly Defends ECG Reforms
In addition to internal restructuring, Hon. Afenyo‑Markin pointed out that under his leadership, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) received the highest cumulative payments in recent years, helping to stabilize the power supply and foster confidence among private sector energy providers.
He added that these initiatives formed a key component of his overarching strategy to address the deep-rooted structural inefficiencies within the Electricity Company of Ghana—an approach that received full backing from former President Akufo-Addo.
“My approach to reforms at ECG has never been anchored in tariff increments or new levies,” he emphasized. Instead, he championed “responsible cost-saving reforms rather than burdening the Ghanaian consumer with new taxes and levies.”
He strongly opposed the recent GHS1 Energy Sector Levy imposed at fuel pumps and criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration’s decision to raise electricity tariffs by 17.2% in just six months—first with a 14.75% hike on May 3, 2025, followed by a 2.45% increase on July 1, 2025.
Citing internal reports during his tenure, he disclosed that “less than 30% of consumers pay for electricity consumed, with the rest lost to inefficiencies, illegal connections, and poor billing systems.”
He asserted that it was “misguided to resort to frequent tariff hikes or new levies without fixing these deep-rooted inefficiencies.”
Referring to Dr. Wereko‑Brobbey’s criticism, Afenyo‑Markin called it “disingenuous… to ignore these efforts and instead seek to distort the facts for political effect.”
He reiterated his consistent call for a “national dialogue on structural reforms, not partisan blame games.”
The Minority Leader also recognized the efforts made by those who held the position before him, crediting them for launching key reforms such as the digitization of ECG’s revenue collection and the initial stages of the Loss Reduction Programme.
He emphasized that his responsibility was to continue and enhance those initiatives, which he committed to during his short time in office.
Addressing Dr. Wereko-Brobbey directly, he encouraged a fact-based discourse and challenged him to publicly provide evidence to support his claims.
“Until then, I will remain focused on advocating for non-partisan reforms at ECG that deliver value to the Ghanaian people through improved service delivery and greater efficiency in the energy sector.”
Alexander Afenyo‑Markin
Meanwhile, this exchange has drawn national attention to the critical issues surrounding reforms at ECG.
It underscores the urgent need for structural change, improved accountability, and transparent leadership, while also exposing how misinformation and political misrepresentation can significantly hinder meaningful progress in the energy sector.
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