All Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Ghana will now be responsible for budgeting and paying for their electricity usage, according to the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor.
The decision comes as the country’s energy sector faces mounting financial pressure and a dwindling fuel reserve for power generation.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting with Parliament’s Energy Committee, the Minister explained that this new policy is part of efforts to strengthen the energy sector and improve revenue collection.
He noted that while some critical institutions will be partially exempt, most public bodies will now be expected to pay their own power bills.
“Cabinet has adopted a position that all MDAs must pay for electricity and include it in their budgets,” Mr. Jinapor said. “We’ve identified essential services like labs, theatres, and wards in hospitals as exempt. But in education, only lecture halls are covered. Other areas like dormitories and canteens are not.”
The move is one of several strategies being considered to address the sector’s challenges. Mr. Jinapor revealed that Ghana urgently needs GH₵1.1 billion to purchase more liquid fuel, with current reserves set to last only 2.6 days.
Though new supplies have been ordered, payment remains a major hurdle due to financial constraints at the Ministry of Finance.
As part of long-term planning, the government is also considering involving the private sector in ECG operations to boost efficiency and revenue collection.