Former Minister for Power and former Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, has urged the government to remain firm and focused on the national interest as it considers merging the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Energy Commission into a single regulatory body.
Dr. Donkor says while it is proper for the Minister for Energy and Green Transition to consult widely, including labour unions, policy decisions must ultimately serve the broader national good, not narrow institutional or worker interests.
This call from the former Power Minister comes amid pushbacks from worker unions of the two institutions and the subsequent resolve of the current minister to engage further.
In an exclusive interview with The High Street Journal, Dr. Donkor maintained that, “I read that the Honourable Minister for Energy and Green Transition says he will take into account the views of stakeholders. It is proper that in public policy, the views of stakeholders are sought. But we must also be determined that we don’t just pander to workers and unions, but we look at the greater national interest.”
Efficiency Over Sentiment
At the heart of the debate is whether Ghana should maintain multiple regulatory institutions in the energy space or create what Dr. Donkor describes as a “fit-for-purpose, lean and efficient” monolithic regulator.
He argues that public policy must weigh efficiency and regulatory coherence against the instinct to preserve structures primarily for job protection.
He acknowledged that labour unions exist to protect their members, and therefore any policy that seems to threaten their welfare would be opposed. However, Dr. Donkor argued that the government has a responsibility to streamline where necessary, even where interests may not perfectly align.
The real issue is not jobs versus reform, but whether Ghana’s energy regulation can be made more effective, less fragmented, and more responsive to the sector’s evolving demands.
“Having a more efficient regulatory regime versus just creating jobs, those are some of the issues we’ll have to look at. I’m all for having one monolithic regulatory regime, one monolithic regulatory institution,” he stressed.
No Need for Mass Layoffs
Dr. Donkor dismissed fears that a merger must automatically translate into job losses. He proposed a gradual transition anchored on natural attrition, which includes retirements, voluntary exits, and redeployments, rather than abrupt redundancies.
“When vacancies occur, you don’t necessarily replace,” he suggested. “Where needed, retrain staff to fill new roles.”
Such an approach, he believes, would reduce institutional overlap while minimizing social disruption.
The Bigger Picture
For consumers and businesses, this move to merge the two regulatory institutions could be game-changing. A streamlined regulator could mean faster licensing processes, clearer tariff-setting frameworks, and more predictable oversight.
However, resistance from unions concerned about job security could complicate implementation.
While he welcomes the Minister’s decision engage more, he maintains that any decision taken must prioritize the national interest.
