Former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has recently highlighted the significant financial and operational improvements the company experienced during his tenure. Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Mahama emphasized the transformation of ECG into a major revenue-generating entity, drawing comparisons to other leading corporations in Ghana.

"Let’s not treat ECG like a cottage industry when it’s actually one of the biggest," Mahama stated, underscoring the scale of ECG’s operations. He pointed out the substantial growth in monthly revenue, noting, "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."

Mahama further explained the company's unique pricing strategy, which operates on 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 model ensures that prices are standardized and non-negotiable, reflecting the engineering costs associated with providing electricity services.

Addressing the operational challenges he encountered upon assuming his role, Mahama described a significant backlog of projects awaiting 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 backlog highlighted structural inefficiencies that needed to be addressed to improve the company's overall performance.

In addition to revenue and pricing strategies, Mahama emphasized improvements in service delivery, particularly concerning electricity meter installations. "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 dramatic increase in installation capacity reflects a significant enhancement in the company’s ability to serve its customers and reduce operational losses.