Former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has recently highlighted the significant advancements made by the company in revenue generation and operational efficiency during his tenure. In an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Mahama detailed the financial transformation of ECG, drawing comparisons between the company's current monthly revenue and that of major corporations in Ghana.

"Let’s not treat ECG like a cottage industry when it’s actually one of the biggest," Mahama stated, emphasizing the scale of ECG's operations. He pointed out the substantial increase in the company's monthly revenue. "ECG’s monthly revenue can be likened to—what do you call it—MTN now. The Minister, in his own interview, said ECG is making 1.5 billion cedis a month. When I came into office, it was around 450 to 500 million. In longer months, maybe 700 million. But as we speak, revenue has tripled to 1.5 billion. How did we do it? We changed how we worked." This remarkable growth, according to Mahama, is a result of strategic changes implemented during his leadership.

Mahama also clarified ECG’s pricing strategy, noting its basis in a strict engineering pricing model. "ECG works with something called engineering pricing. So our pricing is unique. ECG has a set price for set goods. Whether you like it or not, that’s the price—take it or leave it. You can’t negotiate the price." This fixed-price approach ensures consistency and predictability in the company's financial operations.

Addressing the structural inefficiencies he encountered upon assuming his role, Mahama described a significant backlog of pending projects requiring essential equipment. "I came to see 722 projects that predated me, all needing critical equipment, along with 98 civil infrastructure projects and 12 customer service-related projects. This showed me that the company wasn’t operating as a commercial entity, but rather as an engineering-focused one." This observation underscored the need for a shift towards a more commercially oriented approach.

Furthermore, Mahama underscored the dramatic improvements in service delivery, particularly in the installation of electricity meters. "When I got to ECG, the data showed meter installations were at about 2,500 per month. Under the loss reduction project, by the time I was leaving, ECG had the capacity to install up to 100,000 meters a month." This increase in meter installation capacity reflects a significant enhancement in ECG’s operational capabilities and its ability to meet customer demand more effectively.