Cudjoe to Ghanaians: Pay realistic utility tariff to ensure quality service
Ghanaians must pay a reflective price for utility services to enjoy quality services from utility companies in the country, Joseph Cudjoe, the minister of public enterprises has said.
Cudjoe believes paying a realistic tariff for utility services will ensure the firms invest adequately in their operations to deliver quality services.
Speaking with Benjamin Offei-Addo on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday ( 7 July), Cudjoe said, “When we pay cost-reflective prices, quality service will be ensured.”
“Ghanaians are so willing to pay cost-reflective prices to private enterprises but they are unwilling to do so for public ones … which is baffling. We have inverted the whole process of quality service … you invest in it [enterprises] and with modern tech, you can more easily enjoy services you want.”
Cudjoe added, “It is our psyche and we all argue that we want to be given quality service before we pay … But without investment, where is the quality to come from?”
Touching on the recent Public Enterprise League Table, Cudjoe said the performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is crucial to Ghana’s economic growth.
“By growing public enterprises, we grow the economy. The Public Enterprises League Table helps create a competitive environment for those in the sector,” he said.
TDC adjudged best SOE at maiden PELT awards
The Tema Development Company on Thursday (30 June) emerged the best performing state-owned enterprise in the maiden Public Enterprises League Table (PELT) awards.
The Public Enterprises League Table (PELT) is an innovation by the Minister for Public Enterprises (MPE) to assess the performances of Specified Entities (SEs) regarding compliance.
The Electricity company of Ghana emerged second followed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority. The Gaming Commission of Ghana placed fourth while the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) was ranked fifth.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, the deputy finance minister Abena Osei-Asare said corporate governance will now be made mandatory for all SOE boards. This, she said, will help build the capacity of SOEs to effectively deliver on their mandate.
About PELT
The Ministry for Public Enterprises, in collaboration with Ministry of Finance and the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Friday 29 April, 2022, launched the Public Enterprises League Table (PELT) to encourage the public to see the assessment of Specified Entities (SEs) based on a league table it is developing.
The Public Enterprises League Table (PELT) is an innovation by the Minister for Public Enterprises (MPE) to assess the performances of Specified Entities (SEs) regarding compliance.
The PELT is mainly to create competition among the specified entities which includes the State Owned Enterprises (SoEs), Joint Venture Companies (JVCs) and Other State Entities (OSEs) as stipulated in the SIGA Law, ACT 990.
Other objectives of the PELT are to promote innovation in the management of the SEs to ensure organizations are not only profitable but also efficient, provide non-pecuniary incentives for improved performance, boost the stature of performing organizations,
It also seeks to recognize/Award Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)/Managing Directors (MDs)/Director Generals and Boards of performing SEs as well as to provide a pathway for recommending the promotion of performing CEOs/MDs/DGs to be elevated to occupy similar positions in more prominent SEs.
