The Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has charged a newly inaugurated steering committee to lead the government’s latest push to bring private sector efficiency into electricity distribution through a regional leasing model.
At a ceremony in Accra, Mr. Jinapor, in a statement delivered on his behalf by his deputy, Richard Gyan Mensah, urged the eight-member Private Sector Participation (PSP) Steering Committee to fast-track the implementation of the reintroduced Multiple Lease Model (MLM) – a strategy that segments electricity distribution into regional zones managed by private concessionaires.
“The committee must ensure the procurement of technical, financial and legal transaction advisors is completed by May 31, 2025, to pave the way for implementation,” Jinapor said, setting a September 2025 target for launching the first phase of competitive bidding for private operators.
The MLM, a key pillar in the government’s energy sector recovery plan, seeks to attract credible investors, reduce losses, enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience across Ghana’s struggling power distribution network.
The committee will be chaired by Jinapor himself, with Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as co-chair.
Other members include the Trade and Agribusiness Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare; Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine; Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu; as well as the Acting Managing Directors of ECG and NEDCo, Julius Kpekpena and John Okine Yamoah, respectively; while Baba Akon will serve as Secretary.
Beyond oversight, the steering committee is tasked with coordinating data collection and auditing, ensuring regulatory compliance, reviewing transaction documents and spearheading stakeholder engagement.
A dedicated PSP Implementation Unit within the ministry will provide technical and administrative support.
To support its mission, the committee has also established three sub-committees—Technical, Governance and Regulatory, and Stakeholder Management.
Chair of the Technical Sub-Committee, Mr. Jabesh Amissah-Arthur, acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead but expressed optimism.
“The road will be challenging and difficult,” he said, “but I have confidence in the members that we will live up to expectations by guiding the restructuring of the power distribution sector to ensure customer service satisfaction.”
The move comes amid persistent public frustration over power cuts, ageing infrastructure and inefficiencies that have long plagued Ghana’s electricity distribution system.
