TIG Post

Tag: electricity

  • Labour expert urges govt to hold consultation over 15% VAT on electricity

    Labour expert urges govt to hold consultation over 15% VAT on electricity

    Labour and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) expert, Austin Gamey, has urged the government to swiftly engage with labor representatives to address concerns regarding the recent imposition of a 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity.

    He emphasized the need for urgent discussions to devise strategies that could alleviate the impact on workers, promoting stability in labor relations.

    “Petrol has been increased by three per cent and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is threatening to increase fares by 60 per cent.

    “We have just imposed a tax on electricity and so obviously, people would like you to cushion them.

    “If the government is smart, it should invite them to a national tripartite committee meeting and use the tax thresholds to give everybody something,” Mr Gamey told the Daily Graphic in an interview.

    Austin Gamey emphasized that the Labour Law mandates the tripartite body—comprising representatives from the government, employers, and labor—to regularly convene, at least quarterly, to discuss matters crucial to the national economy.

    He highlighted that the recent imposition of a 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity was a concern for unions, and engaging in discussions would allow them to address the potential impact on their members and raise pertinent concerns.

    “So the government would have to be sharp and be forthcoming and invite experts who have a better appreciation of how these things are done to assist them,” he said.

    Austin Gamey serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pulse Institute Africa.

    Austin Gamey emphasized the importance of the government tapping into the expertise of the entire Ghanaian population, which consists of around 30 million people. He stressed that the country does not belong to any single political party, and leveraging the collective knowledge and skills of its citizens is crucial. Failure to do so, he warned, could result in the government facing increased pressure from labor issues.

    Gamey argued that labor would be justified in making demands to cushion its members in response to the recent 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity. He cited a precedent in 2015 when former President John Mahama invited all labor unions, including chiefs, to a meeting in Ho. During this meeting, information about the country’s situation was shared with the unions, helping them understand the potential consequences of extreme actions.

    The Ministry of Finance announced the implementation of the 15% VAT for residential customers of electricity as part of the government’s Medium-Term Revenue Strategy and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Supported Post Covid-19 Programme for Economic Growth. The VAT applies to residential customers with electricity consumption above specified levels, effective January 1, 2024. The move aims to enhance revenue collection.

  • 15% VAT on electricity aimed at settling outstanding debts in energy sector – Agyapa Mercer

    15% VAT on electricity aimed at settling outstanding debts in energy sector – Agyapa Mercer

    In a bid to bolster its COVID-19 recovery program, the government has elucidated the reasons behind the implementation of a 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity consumption.

    The move is geared towards generating additional revenue to support the recovery efforts.

    Deputy Energy Minister Agyapa Mercer, in an interview with Citi FM on Monday, January 15, underscored the challenging nature of this decision.

    Nevertheless, he emphasized its necessity, particularly in settling outstanding debts owed to independent power producers.

    “Obviously, if you look at the scope of the tax and what it is intended to do—raise revenue to meet some obligations of the government in the energy sector—it will interest you to know that, as we speak, as of July 2023, the amount of money that we owe to the IPPs alone is in the region of GH¢1.7 billion.”

    Increasing demands from the Minority and energy experts urge the reconsideration of the Value Added Tax imposed on specific residential electricity consumers.

    In a correspondence conveying the Finance Ministry’s policy to the Public Utility Regulatory Commission, Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta indicates that the value-added levy will be applicable to electricity consumption beyond lifeline units.

    The ministry clarifies that this initiative is a component of the government’s Covid-19 recovery program.

  • Akufo-Addo is planning to hand over “dumsor” to the next govt – Mahama

    Akufo-Addo is planning to hand over “dumsor” to the next govt – Mahama

    Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2024 election, John Dramani Mahama, has expressed concern that the current government is leading the country back to the era of severe power crises known as “dumsor.”

    Various regions in the country have been grappling with inconsistent power cuts, causing frustration and resentment among the populace. Many electricity consumers are dissatisfied with the lack of prior communication and explanations regarding the widespread outages.

    The government is facing a financial obligation to the West African Pipeline Company (WAPCo) amounting to $19 million. Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, confirmed that $13 million has been settled, leaving an outstanding balance of $6 million.

    He reassured that the government is actively engaged in discussions with WAPCo to devise a payment plan for the remaining amount.

    Additionally, the recent power outage experienced in parts of the capital, Accra, was attributed to a fuel shortage, as explained by the Deputy Minister for Energy.

    During a stakeholder meeting with members of the NDC in Sogakope, Volta Region, as part of his “Building Ghana Tour,” Mr. Mahama anticipated that if the NDC regains power, they will inherit power cuts, a challenge the party had successfully addressed during its previous term in office.

    “Today ‘dumsor’, they’re treating it like a football because he wants to kick it over the 7th January 2025 line and hand the trouble over to somebody else, and yet we resolved it before they came into office.”

    In order to transfer Value Added Tax (VAT) collected from customers who have exceeded their lifeline power consumption, the government has asked the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to communicate with the two nation’s power distribution companies.

    Mr. Mahama denounced this action, claiming that it will put additional strain on customers who already pay more for electricity because of current power taxes.

    “Today, they’ve put Value Added Tax on electricity bills. And COVID levy, NHIL levy, GETFUND Levy all on electricity bills, and so that’s going to send the cost of your electricity bill up. Already, there was a 29 per cent increase, there was a 19 per cent increase, then they tried to fool us with a 4% increase, and now it’s going up again astronomically” he lamented.

    The tariff increases continue to hurt a lot of businesses.

    According to John Mahama, cutting back on government spending might assist in lowering the high taxes that have driven up the cost of goods and services.

    “It’s making Ghana a very difficult place to do business. All business people are complaining. The owner of this hotel who has given us this resort to do this thing, you should ask him how much he’s paying in utility bills. And yet, because of the mismanagement by the President and his cousin and his Vice President, it has plunged all of us into a difficult situation where they have pledged to the IMF [International Monetary Fund] to raise as much revenue as they can.”

    The key is to cut back on your expenses while you are increasing revenue because that is what any rational, sane person would do. Because you can lessen the burden you’re placing on the taxpayer by cutting back on your expenditures.

    “If they cut down the expenditure of the Office of the President; they’ve doubled it. Year-on-year budget went up by 82 billion cedis, and so if you reduce the rise of the budget in terms of expenditure, then you could reduce the incidence of tax. You might not need to place Value Added Tax on electricity, so that you pass the relief on to the people of Ghana” the former President noted.

    Meanwhile, the former President has assured that the NDC will restrain itself from starting new projects but focus on completing new ones.

    “All the projects that they inherited they have abandoned, and they themselves have started projects that they know they cannot complete. And yet, instead of finishing the abandoned and ongoing projects, they have started news projects like agenda 111, some of them are at foundation level, some they’ve raised the block work, but they know that they cannot finish it before they leave.

    “So, what they will do is to push them on to somebody else and say that, we started this and you came and you’ve abandoned it. But look at the mess you’ve created, how are we going to get money to finish all those projects” the former President quizzed.

    “But I pledge that we will restrain ourselves from starting new projects. Whatever little resources that we come and meet, we will spend it on completing the ongoing and abandoned projects.”

  • Ghanaians paying VAT on electricity since January 1 – Finance Ministry  

    Ghanaians paying VAT on electricity since January 1 – Finance Ministry  

    A letter from the Ministry of Finance indicates that the government has been modifying the Value Added Tax (VAT) for a segment of electricity consumers in the country.

    The letter, signed by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and directed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO), specified that the VAT would be applicable to residential customers of electricity exceeding the maximum consumption level outlined for block charges for lifeline units.

    It added that VAT is a component of the country’s Covid-19 recovery program and should be levied effective from January 1, 2024.

    “As part of the implementation of the Government’s Medium-Term Revenue Strategy and the IMF-Supported Post Covid-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG), the implementation of VAT for residential customers of electricity above the maximum consumption level specified for block charges for lifeline units in line with Section 35 and 37 and the First Schedule (9) of Value Added Tax (VAT) Act, 2013 (ACT 870) has been scheduled for implementation, effective 1st January 2024.

    It added, “For the avoidance of doubt, VAT is still exempt for “a supply to a dwelling of electricity up to a maximum consumption level specified for block charges for lifeline units” in line with Section 35 and 37 and the First Schedule (9) of Act 870,” part of the letter which is dated December 12, 2023, reads.

    The minister, in the letter, stated that the ECG and NEDCO to put measures in place and collaborate with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ensure that the implementation of the VAT starts on January 1.

    “The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) are, hereby, requested to liaise with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ensure that the implementation of VAT for residential customers of electricity above the maximum consumption level specified for block charges for lifeline units takes effect on 1st January 2024, in line with Sectio35 and 37 and the First Schedule (9) of Act 870.”

  • World Bank aims to bring electricity to 100m Africans by 2030 – President Ajay Banga

    World Bank aims to bring electricity to 100m Africans by 2030 – President Ajay Banga

    President of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, unveiled an ambitious plan during the mid-term review of the International Development Association’s (IDA) $93 billion replenishment package.

    Banga emphasized this initiative as an example of how funds from the bank’s International Development Association, offering zero- or low-interest loans to low-income countries, can make a significant impact.

    He urged donor countries to provide support, highlighting the anticipation of 1.1 billion young people in the Global South reaching working age over the next decade.

    What the president said:

    “But how can we hope to make even adequate progress while 600 million people in Africa – 36 million of whom live here in Tanzania – still don’t have access to reliable electricity? Put simply: We can’t.”

    Banga talked about the bank’s current assessment of the $93 billion IDA replenishment round. In the next round, which is set for December 2024, he said he hoped donors would break yet another record.

    “We are pushing the limits of this important concessional resource and no amount of creative financial engineering will compensate for the fact that we need more funding,” he said.

    After attending the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, Banga, the former CEO of Mastercard Inc., arrived in Zanzibar. During an interview in Dubai on Sunday, he shared his reflections on the experience.

     “There is a lot of energy. There seems to be political alignment. I’m going to take all the tailwind I can get.”

    A significant section of the populace struggles with unreliable electricity across the continent. Numerous factors, such as the high cost of electricity and insufficient infrastructure, contribute to the lack of accessibility to electricity in many regions.

  • Power generation cannot be guaranteed, no progress made in negotiations – IPPs

    Power generation cannot be guaranteed, no progress made in negotiations – IPPs

    The failure of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to come to a deal with the government regarding the restructure of the terms of the debt owed them may cause them to soon cease producing electricity.

    On July 1, the IPPs announced that they had reached a temporary agreement with the Electricity Company of Ghana regarding the arrears, postponing a planned shutdown.

    However, due to the lack of progress in the negotiations, Dr. Elikplim Apertorgbor, CEO of the Chamber of Independent Power Producers, is warning of an impending power crisis three months later.

    “We received some indications of some payments to be made, but we have been waiting for long.”, he disclosed at a seminar, where he gave an address on his evaluation of the power sector in Ghana.

    “For over 3 months discussions [have been] ongoing, we have not made any headway and I think we are sitting on life support. Anything could happen. We can’t always guarantee generation. We have been very diplomatic to ensure we dialogue and have a mutual settlement but I am sorry we are getting there,” Dr. Apetogbor added.

    Since the start of the year, the IPPs have refused the government’s proposal to restructure their debt, which has increased from about $1.4 billion to $2.3 billion.

    Even though restructuring this debt is necessary to carry out the $3 billion IMF bailout program, the IPPs are determined to get what they feel is rightfully theirs.

    “The total receivable in respect of the energy generated to ECG is about $1.4 billion. The capacity component and the idle capacity component when all put together, we are talking about over $2.3 billion. We are patiently waiting for the government to pay us our money, how it will happen I don’t know all we are looking for is our money,” Dr. Apetorgbor reiterated.

    The IPPs, who produce around half of Ghana’s electricity, claim to be in charge of more than 60% of the country’s thermal power generation capacity.

  • We have invested GHC32bn to keep the lights on- Ken Ofori-Atta

    We have invested GHC32bn to keep the lights on- Ken Ofori-Atta

    Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has disclosed that an investment of GH¢32.7 billion has been made by the government to ensure the consistent supply of electricity.

    Presenting the 2024 budget statement in Parliament today, the Finance Minister noted that this has gone a long way to “support the growth of businesses.”

    This comes after Minister for Energy, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, expressed concerns regarding a potential impact on electricity supply due to an impending shortage of gas for power generation. He attributed this issue to an over-reliance on gas plants, a departure from the historical reliance on liquid fuels for energy production.

    Dr. Prempeh elaborated that the nation is currently facing a dual challenge. The shift towards a predominantly gas-based energy system has rendered the power infrastructure susceptible, such that any disruption in gas supply could trigger the shutdown of all power generation systems, resulting in a nationwide blackout.

    “So that is why if people see lights out when they go out now, it is more extensive than previously because previously the liquid fuels were in the various thermal plants scattered around,” he noted.

    The Energy Minister stressed the significant challenge posed by the present scenario, wherein all power systems are interconnected through a sole gas pipeline. This is a departure from the past, where multiple dispersed thermal plants were fueled by various liquid fuels.

    Meanwhile, the Finance Minister notes that government has invested GH¢25.3 billion to facilitate the repositioning of the financial
    sector and enhance its ability to assist business operations.

    “To date, the Development Bank Ghana has facilitated GH¢1 billion in competitive financing for the private sector, and GIRSAL continues to mitigate risks in the agriculture sector,” he said.

    He added that government has among others; supported 100,000 young graduates to secure workplace experience and employment by investing GH¢2.4 billion in NABCO; invested GH¢7.1 billion to build road and transport infrastructure to improve connectivity and productivity; invested GH¢541.5 million in 169 1D1F enterprises to scale-up value- addition and provided 140,000 additional jobs; and created over 2.3 million jobs in the private and public sectors (approximately 900,000 in the private sector and 1.4 million in the public
    sector).

  • COSECA advocates for hydroelectric power prioritization to profit Ghanaians

    COSECA advocates for hydroelectric power prioritization to profit Ghanaians

    The Coalition of Stakeholders on Electricity Contracts and Arrangements (COSECA), an energy think tank, emphasizes that the optimization of hydroelectric power generation in the nation must primarily serve the interests of the Ghanaian population, rather than being solely geared towards the export market.

    Additionally, COSECA has urged the government to enhance the hydroelectric power generation mix to help lower electricity costs for the people of Ghana.

    To address this issue, the group has appealed to the government, specifically through the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), to rectify this disparity by implementing an automatic adjustment mechanism.

    In a press release reported by GhanaWeb Business, COSECA stated that,

    “The rains that have caused floods to ordinary Ghanaians ironically have not improved the generation mix with an increased hydro component that potentially can reduce the tariff to the benefit of Ghanaians. COSECA strongly believes that the generation mix has to be rationalized to ensure that the benefit of increased hydro generation is passed on to Ghanaians and not the export market.”

    “This situation needs to be rectified using the automatic adjustment mechanism to redistribute over and under-recoveries to the benefit of Ghanaians,” the release read in part.

    It also “observed that only ECG contributes to the provision of reserve margin (18% target as per Energy Commission) required for maintaining reliability of the transmission grid. The cost associated with this reserve margin capacity requirements is substantially borne by customers of ECG, with no payment made by the other bulk customers supplied by VRA and other load-serving entities in the deregulated market as their load share allocation.”

  • Challenges with gas supply from Takoradi to Tema plants fixed – GRIDCo, ECG

    Challenges with gas supply from Takoradi to Tema plants fixed – GRIDCo, ECG

    The Ghana Grid Company LTD (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have jointly announced the successful resolution of the recent intermittent power outages that affected the nation.

    This positive outcome has been achieved through the reinstatement of gas supply to the power generating plants in Tema, sourced from Takoradi, as indicated in their official press release.

    “The improved gas supply has enabled power restoration to all loads across the country,” parts of the statement read.

    Last week, major parts of Accra experienced intermittent power outage and GRIDCo in a statement noted that the challenges with supply of gas was responsible for the blackouts.

    Meanwhile, the companies have emphasized that customers who continue to experience power disruptions may be dealing with localized issues or faults and are encouraged to promptly inform their local ECG office for the necessary repairs.

    “GRIDCo and ECG regret the inconvenience caused by the recent load management exercise and thank the public for their patience,” the statement added.

  • Govt determined to increase electricity penetration in rural areas – Dr Ben Asante

    Govt determined to increase electricity penetration in rural areas – Dr Ben Asante

    The CEO of Ghana National Gas Company Limited, Dr. Ben KD Asante, has revealed that the government’s current policy direction is geared towards expanding electricity accessibility through sustainable and environmentally responsible power generation methods.

    Despite Ghana’s commendable status as one of Africa’s leaders in electricity access, the government is actively pursuing the goal of reaching a significant milestone of 100% accessibility.

    To achieve this, the government is focusing on utilizing eco-friendly power generation sources.

    “Our policy basically is to look power generation. The direction the government wants to take is increasing power penetration even in rural areas. As things stand we are one of the highest in terms of electricity coverage in Africa. We also want to use it for secondary industries,” he said.

    The statement was given by Dr. Ben Asante during the UNCTAD’s 14th Multi-year Expert Meeting.

    The gathering took place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, from Monday, October 9, to Wednesday, October 11.

    The expert meeting’s 14th session provides a neutral forum for the exchange of national experiences about the implementation of successful methods and policies at the national, regional, and international levels to successfully manage commodity price volatility.

    The expert meeting examines the relationships between commodity price volatility and important macroeconomic indicators in commodity-dependent and developing countries (CDDCs) as well as the relationships between commodity price volatility and food security in net food importers.

    The Geneva meeting also covered market- and technology-based tools for controlling price concerns.

    The head of Ghana Gas has been invited to the upcoming meeting, which will take place in Belgium.

  • University students charged to report illegal power, water connection on campuses

    University students charged to report illegal power, water connection on campuses

    The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has encouraged tertiary institution students to assist in identifying and reporting cases of illegal electricity and water connections.

    Dr. Ishmael Ackah, the Executive Secretary of PURC, made this appeal while also advising students to promptly settle their utility bills.

    During his address to students at Koforidua Technical University (KTU) on August 29, 2023, Dr. Ackah emphasized the importance of paying utility tariffs and the role students can play in reporting unauthorized connections.

    He also highlighted the incentive of a 6% reward on the recovered revenue from illegal connections for whistleblowers.

    Dr. Ackah explained that by fulfilling their billing obligations, utility companies can generate the necessary revenue to enhance their service delivery to the public.

    “In the Eastern Region alone, water consumers owed about GH¢46 million”, Dr Ackah said.

    Alhaji Jabaru Abukari, the Eastern Regional Operations and Consumer Services Director at the PURC, encouraged consumers of utilities to report any grievances they have with their landlords to the PURC for resolution.

    Professor David Kofi Essumang, the Vice-Chancellor of Koforidua Technical University (KTU), expressed his satisfaction with the program.

    He noted that approximately 90% of his students resided in rental accommodations, and issues related to the payment of electricity and water bills often led to conflicts between landlords and students.

    “We in KTU use more electricity in training our students and the way PURC is considering industries, we are also appealing to them to also consider the tertiary institution to help reduce utility bills since the universities are also training the human resource of the country”, he said.

    Prof. Essumang commended the PURC for providing their students with education on how to calculate energy consumption and associated costs using the PURC Electricity Consumption Estimator (PECE) application.

    The PURC visited the university to interact with, educate, and promote the payment of utility bills among the students. They also encouraged the students to educate their parents about the importance of paying utility bills.

    The event, which was attended by university lecturers and administrators, provided students with the opportunity to ask relevant questions about utility services, and they received comprehensive answers to enhance their understanding of the topics discussed.

  • 6 bad habits draining your electricity

    6 bad habits draining your electricity

    Here are six bad habits around the house that can drain your electricity and increase your energy bills:

    1. Leaving Lights On: Failing to turn off lights when leaving a room is a common energy-wasting habit. Install energy-efficient LED bulbs and make it a habit to switch off lights when not needed.
    2. Leaving Electronics in Standby: Many appliances and devices consume energy even when turned off but left in standby mode. Unplug chargers, TVs, and other electronics or use smart power strips to cut off power completely.
    3. Neglecting Air Leaks: Poorly sealed doors and windows allow heat to escape in winter and cool air to seep out in summer. Seal gaps and cracks to reduce the need for heating and cooling.
    4. Running Appliances at Peak Times: Using high-energy appliances like washing machines and dishwashers during peak hours can lead to higher energy costs. Use these appliances during off-peak hours or consider energy-efficient models.
    5. Ignoring Thermostat Settings: Keeping your thermostat too high in winter or too low in summer can increase energy usage. Use a programmable thermostat to adjust temperatures based on your schedule and preferences.
    6. Overloading Electrical Outlets: Plugging too many devices into a single outlet can overload circuits and increase the risk of electrical fires. Distribute devices across multiple outlets and avoid using extension cords whenever possible.

    By breaking these bad habits and adopting energy-efficient practices, you can reduce your electricity consumption, save money on energy bills, and contribute to a more sustainable environment.

  • Residents in Sunyani regret rising electricity and water prices

    Residents in Sunyani regret rising electricity and water prices

    The recent water and electricity tariff increases by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) have left some residents in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital, lamenting their impact.

    These concerns arise in the wake of the 4.22% increase in electricity tariffs and the 1.18% increase in water tariffs, which took effect on September 1, 2023, affecting average end-user tariffs for non-lifeline residential consumers.

    Residents are already grappling with financial challenges in a difficult economic environment, and they fear that the recent tariff hikes will exacerbate their struggles.

    Voicing their discontent over the tariff increases, they have appealed to the government to reconsider the decision, as it would result in a higher cost of living and further hardships.

    Nana Kwame Asamoah, a long-time Sunyani resident, expressed how the tariff hikes are affecting ordinary people like himself, given the current challenging economic conditions. He mentioned that the increased costs of electricity and water are becoming unbearable, causing financial strain for many.

    Eno Mary called on the government to focus on improving the country’s economic situation before approving any future tariff adjustments. She emphasized that they cannot afford to pay higher bills during these difficult times.

    Agya Oppong criticized the PURC for consistently favoring utility providers, despite poor service delivery, and failing to address consumers’ concerns and hardships. He believes that any tariff increase during these challenging times is regrettable.

  • Libyans rejoice over stable power supply

    Libyans rejoice over stable power supply

    For a very long period of enduring years of persistent power outages, residents of Tripoli, the capital of Libya, are now enjoying a stable electricity supply during the summer months. This improvement has led to the illumination of the city’s public spaces at night, signifying a significant enhancement in the quality of life for its residents.

    To cope with the recurring power disruptions, many individuals had invested in batteries to power essential appliances. Those with more financial means had acquired powerful yet noisy, polluting, and diesel-dependent generators, which could cost several thousand euros.

    Mohamad Rahoumi, the spokesperson for a renowned pastry brand, highlighted the critical connection between reliable electricity and service quality. He emphasized that a consistent power supply eliminates the need for generators or costly production services, leading to stable prices and improved economic returns.

    Over the past decade, the General Electricity Company had resorted to lengthy load shedding during peak seasons. Until last year, power cuts lasting up to 20 hours at a stretch were commonplace in the capital, particularly unbearable in scorching temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, especially for business owners.

    For Mohammed al-Maghribi, a butcher, the improved electricity supply has transformed his business. He expressed his delight that customers could now purchase fresh and uncontaminated meat while enjoying the comfort of air conditioning.

    Libyan citizen Lotfi Ahmad Aziz acknowledged the significant and evident enhancement in the electric network compared to previous years. However, he noted that some issues related to strengthening the electrical grid still persisted, along with minor concerns. Nevertheless, he expressed gratitude for the notable improvement compared to past years.

    Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has grappled with persistent power shortages, stemming from a damaged electrical infrastructure resulting from armed conflicts and looting. However, with new management at Gecol and a restructuring plan implemented in July 2022, coupled with relative calm following years of war, electricity supplies have greatly improved. This positive development has also encouraged foreign companies to resume projects that had been stalled for years.

  • Ghana will have the greatest power penetration in all of Africa by 2024 – Transport minister

    Ghana will have the greatest power penetration in all of Africa by 2024 – Transport minister

    Deputy Minister of Transport, Hassan Tampuli, has revealed that data from the World Bank indicates that Ghana has one of the highest electricity penetrations in Africa.

    The government is further dedicated to increasing this figure to 90% by the end of 2023.

    Speaking at a stakeholder consultation on electric vehicle policy and implementation framework in Accra on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, the deputy transport minister highlighted that Ghana possesses substantial electricity reserve capacity, including hydro, thermal, and renewable sources, surpassing that of many other African countries.

    Hassan Tampuli added that, “Really and truly, our reserve capacity is way more than a lot of countries even in Africa…A lot of these countries; Burkina Faso has 19% penetration, Liberia 29%, Niger 18.6% and so on and so forth. The closest you have is Côte d’Ivoire which is 71.1% so we have enough. Sometimes we don’t realize what we have in this country until we compare with other countries.”

    “Almighty Rwanda is 48.7% and we sometimes hail Rwanda as the big boy of Africa but we have way more so we have more in terms of electricity capacity, hydro, thermal and renewables put together,” he stated.

    In alignment with global commitments and the National Energy Transition Plan 2022, the government, through the Ministry of Transport, has crafted a draft policy on Electric Vehicles (EV) with the objective of decarbonizing the transport sector.

    The policy’s primary aim is to establish standards, guidelines, and operational frameworks for managing the utilization of electric vehicles in the country.

    The Deputy Minister of Transport emphasized that electric vehicles will soon become prevalent in the Ghanaian market. He encouraged Ghanaians to prepare themselves for this development and the increasing presence of EVs.

    “A number of them are already in town, we do not have a policy yet so it’s very crucial that we run very fast.The electric vehicles will come whether we like it or not, so we better be prepared for it,” he said.

    Mr. Hassan Tampuli added that there is an alternative for owners to replace their internal combustion engines (ICE) with conventional engines or electric motors that are powered by rechargeable batteries to power electric vehicles, thus all vehicles with ICEs will not be phased out.

  • IEA forecasts a comeback in global electricity demand in 2024

    IEA forecasts a comeback in global electricity demand in 2024

    The International Energy Agency (IEA) has reported that the ongoing energy crisis and economic downturn are likely to result in a deceleration of global power demand growth in 2023. The projected growth rate for energy consumption in 2023 is expected to be slightly less than 2%, down from 2.3% in 2022 and the five-year pre-COVID 19 average of 2.4%.

    Nevertheless, the IEA anticipates a rebound in 2024, with the growth rate projected to rise to 3.3% as the global economic outlook improves.

    To address the increasing energy demands in the future, the IEA emphasizes the necessity of developing more renewable energy capacity. The agency foresees that renewable energy sources will play a vital role in covering the expected growth in energy consumption for both 2023 and 2024. In fact, renewable energy is set to surpass one-third of the total global power supply for the first time in the upcoming year.

    However, one concern highlighted by the IEA is the decline in hydropower. Between 2020 and 2022, hydropower has fallen by approximately 2% compared to figures from 1990 to 2016. This decrease represents a significant drop of around 240 terawatt-hours, which is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of Spain.

    This decline underscores the importance of diversifying renewable energy sources and investing in their development to meet the increasing power demand while mitigating environmental impacts.

    “Anticipating challenges on hydropower related to climate change, and planning accordingly, will be crucial for the efficient and sustainable use of hydro resources,” the IEA said.

    According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the growth of renewable energy is expected to play a crucial role in reducing global emissions. The increase in emissions observed in countries like China and India is likely to be balanced out by emission declines in other nations due to the expanding deployment of renewable energy and the ongoing shift from coal to natural gas.

    Notably, the European Union (EU) has made significant progress in reducing emissions from power generation, accounting for 40% of the total global decline, as per data from the IEA. In the first half of the current year, the EU witnessed a notable 6% decrease in power demand. This reduction was attributed to energy-intensive industries, such as aluminum, steel, paper, and chemical industries, cutting back their energy usage in response to higher prices. Additionally, a relatively mild winter had a limited impact on demand reduction, as stated by the IEA.

    While wholesale electricity prices have substantially dropped from the records set in the previous year due to the disruption caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, average prices in Europe are still more than double their 2019 levels. India’s average prices have surged by 80%, and Japan’s by more than 30%, showcasing the continuing challenges faced by these regions in managing energy costs.

    Overall, the IEA’s findings underscore the importance of the continued growth of renewable energy sources to combat emissions and stabilize electricity prices in different parts of the world.

    Prices in the United States, however, have retreated almost to 2019 levels. The country’s demand is expected to decline by 1.7% in 2023 due to slowing economic growth, and to rebound in 2024 to 2%, down from the 2.6% recorded in 2022.

    In China, demand is expected to grow 5.3% in 2023 and 5.1% in 2024, after a moderate 3.7% rise in 2022, the IEA data showed. Increased use of cooling to cope with summer heatwaves is expected to drive the demand growth there this year.

    India’s consumption is expected to rise by 6.8% in 2023 and 6.1% in 2024 – when it is expected to surpass that of Japan and Korea combined – but down from the 8.4% rise recorded in 2022.

    The growth is expected to come from increased use of household appliances, a rise in electrical machinery usage, an increase in electric vehicles, and greater demand for cooling.

  • ECG to begin another nationwide revenue mobilization from July 11

    ECG to begin another nationwide revenue mobilization from July 11

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has yet again announced the commencement of another nationwide revenue mobilization. This new initiative is known as “Operation Zero.”

    In an official statement, the ECG stated that the exercise is expected to begin on July 11 and end on September 11, 2023. It is going to be a two-month campaign that aims to recover every outstanding debt to the last pesewa.

    ECG emphasised that as part of the operation, it would thoroughly inspect customers’ homes and all other power-consuming facilities.

    During this exercise, ECG will grant a moratorium to all who are consuming electricity without paying for it, to allow them to visit their respective ECG offices for immediate regularisation of their supply.

    The ECG will also collaborate closely with the security services, who will detain and prosecute anyone who attempts to obstruct the process. This mobilization exercise will add up to the previous exercises embarked on by the power company.

    The Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) closed all its district, regional, and head offices on March 20, 2023, to embark on a month-long Nationwide Revenue mobilisation exercise that ended on April 20, 2023. The aim was to recover an amount of GH¢5.7 billion from its customers.

    To intensify the action, the ECG again embarked on another mobilization exercise that commenced on June 26, 2023, and ended on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.

    Meanwhile, the managing director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has toned down calls for the company’s revenue collection function to be privatised.

    On the heels of the current deadlock between the government and the Chamber of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), this suggestion was made by some analysts.

    Mr. Mahama also argued that ECG is doing better now than when it was under Power Distribution Services (PDS) Limited.

    Speaking in an interview with Citi TV, Mr Mahama mentioned that the company in its current state, is doing well.

    Nevertheless, he acknowledged that there are issues that must be solved before the privatisation discussion can legitimately begin, especially if the company continues to post losses.

    “ECG is doing far better now than when it was under PDS and there are certain operational dynamics that if we fix today, and we realise that there are still gaps in it, that is when we can start talking about privatisation.

    “The calls for privatisation are too early because if you are privatising a company, and you don’t know the total number of customers, and you give it out, you have given out a gold mine,” he noted.

  • Obayeboe residents in ellembelle desperate for electricity

    Obayeboe residents in ellembelle desperate for electricity

    Residents of Obayeboe, a farming community in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, are calling on government to connect their community to the national electricity grid.

    Obayeboe, a farming community is located on Aiyinasi-Kanokwari road and since the establishment of Akosombo Dam, the community is yet to see electricity.

    The community has at least 600 residents.

    Residents at Obayeboe depend largely on torchlights and candles for evening and night activities, our Western Regional Correspondent observed during his visit to the community.

    The situation, he observed compels majority of residents to travel to Nyamebekyere and Aiyinasi to charge their mobile phones and chargeable torchlights.

    It was revealed to our correspondent how the situation was affecting schoolchildren’s academic performance in the area.

    GhanaWeb Western Regional correspondent observed that surrounding communities of Obayeboe community had been connected to the national electricity grid.

    Communities such as Aiyinasi, Odo Ye, Nyamebekyere, Sendu, Kanokwari and Atababo have electricity meanwhile Obayeboe is in between Aiyinasi and Nyamebekyere.

    Speaking to some residents in an exclusive interview, they said because there was no electricity in the area, it was very difficult for their community to develop in all sectors.

    “Our main problem we are facing is electricity because there is electricity at Nyamebekyere up to Atababo and you pass our community first before reaching Nyamebekyere.

    “From Obayeboe to Nyamebekyere is just a half-kilometer distance but Nyamebekyere has electricity and our community does not have electricity”, a resident called Edward Oppong said.

    He added, “we have church here, we have school here and because there is no electricity here, our children perform badly in school, their performance is not good at all. The schoolchildren need electricity badly to learn. They depend largely on torchlights and it is not easy to buy torchlights nowadays”.

    He, therefore, beseeched government of Ghana through Energy Ministry to come to their aid urgently.

    Madam Christiana Siah also expressed her displeasure over the situation.

    She said, “We need light in this community, from here to Nyamebekyere is just a short distance but we don’t have light. We cannot see and hear what is happening in Ghana through TV. Are we not part of Ghana?”

    “Our children academic performance is in limbo, they can’t study in the evening, when you go to cities, children over there use laptops to study but our children here don’t have any access”, she worried.

    “So we are begging the government to help us so that we can be part of Ghanaians. There is a small community after us over there called Odo Ye, they have electricity.

    “We are appealing to government to provide us with electricity, we need electricity urgently because we also vote during public elections. They should have mercy on us because we are also human beings”, she pleaded.

    A man of God in the area, Elder Patrick Kwofie emphasized that, “This community is no longer a village, it is expanding. School is here, so many people are here but we are suffering a lot. Our children here do not learn at all in the evening. We have been buying torchlights and batteries for so many years and we are even tired. We are begging the government”.

    A schoolgirl who spoke to GhanaWeb, appealed to government to consider her community by connecting the community to the electricity national grid so that their academic performance could be improved.

    “I don’t have electricity to study in the evening. Whenever they give me homework I find it very difficult to do it. All of us here do not have light to learn.

    So we are begging the president to provide us with electricity to study. My mother has bought torchlights and batteries for so many years and she is even tired of buying them. I’m future I want to be a doctor so I’m begging the president to extend electricity here”, she appealed.

  • President opens US$40 million 161 kV Accra BSP

    President opens US$40 million 161 kV Accra BSP

    In order to improve Accra’s electricity transmission, President Nana Akufo-Addo has opens a 161 kilovolt (Kv) bulk supply point (BSP) power plant in Accra Central.

    The project is worth US$40million and funded by the Japanese government – aimed at facilitating the transmission of power and ensuring stable power to residents and industries in the Central Business District (CBD) of Accra.

    The president in his keynote address mentioned that benefits of the project include reduction of transmission and distribution losses, enhancement of high electricity distribution levels, improving operating voltage to consumers – and an end of overloaded substations.

    He reiterated that government is committed in driving the country to achieve universal access to power by the end of his tenure in office.

    “I want to assure all of you that my government will continue working to ensure a consistent power supply, not only in Accra but all over the country. Electricity is no longer a luxury but a great enabler of development, and we must commit ourselves to universal coverage in this country,” he said.

    Mr. Akufo-Addo further commended the Japanese government for its support, especially in addressing power sector challenges of the country.

    Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mochizuki Hisanobu, on his part stressed that as a bilateral partner his country is committed to ensuring development in both countries in a win-win situation. He added that the grant is part of a long-lasting bilateral cooperation to improve the power transmission and distribution system in Accra.

    The project was executed by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) as the implementing agency, while the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) was a collaborating partner and beneficiary.

    Minister of Energy Matthew Opoku Prempeh emphasised that without energy there can be no socio-economic development; therefore as government strives to make Ghana an industrial economy, the essence of power cannot be overemphasised.

    “This inauguration comes after the Pokuasi and Kasoa BSPs in recent times, all with the aim of ensuring stable power supply to residents and industries in the capital city. My ministry will ensure that there will be no shortage of fuel for powering our plants, hence curtailing power outages (dumsor),” he said.

    The project will, among other things, ensure reinforcement of the power supply in Accra, evacuate additional capacity for projected load growth within the CBD, and reduce the cost of extending and expanding the medium voltage (MV) network.

    The Accra Central BSP also known as ‘The project for reinforcement of power supply to Accra central’, is to cater for the annual 10 percent growth rate in power demand due to modernisation of the city.

  • Mozambique increases electricity supply to South Africa amid crisis

    Mozambique increases electricity supply to South Africa amid crisis

    In response to a lack of supply and frequent blackouts, Mozambique has offered to send 100 MW of power to South Africa, which is nearby.

    The offer, announced in the South African capital Pretoria on Monday, follows a request by the South African government last month.

    Mozambique’s Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Carlos Zacarias said the commercial agreement defining the price and how and when the energy would be channelled to South Africa “should be closed very soon”.

    South Africa’s electricity minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgoba, said he was “happy” with the swift response by the Mozambican government, adding that technicians were working to make operations viable.

    Mr Zacarias announced that Mozambique would make available, within six months, another 600MW of additional energy.

  • Ghanaians to pay more for electricity, water effective today

    Ghanaians to pay more for electricity, water effective today

    The upward adjustment in electricity and water tariffs by the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURC) takes effect today, June 1, 2023.

    The electricity tariff goes up by 18.36%, while water tariffs will see a 19% increase. These adjustments are necessary due to the rising costs of production, according to the PURC.

    The Regional Director of Operations for PURC, Alhaji Abubakari Jabari, explained in an interview with Starr News that customers who pay postpaid bills on June 1, 2023, will still be charged based on the old rates.

    For most water bills, the old rate will continue to apply until consumption for the month of June, after which the new rate will be implemented.

    Credit deposits made by customers will be calculated using the old rate until the end of the month, following which the new rate will be applied for subsequent billing cycles.

    To address concerns about purchasing credits at the beginning of the month, Alhaji Abubakari Jabari advised against panicking or rushing to buy credits to mitigate the impact of the tariff adjustment.

    He clarified that buying credits early in the month does not provide any specific advantages or discounts. Purchasing credits at any time during the month will be equivalent in terms of the billing calculation.

    He urged consumers not to queue or rush to purchase credits on the first day of the month, assuring them that they would not miss out on any potential benefits by buying credits at a later time during the month.

    Alhaji Abubakari Jabari also reassured consumers that their billing calculations would accurately reflect their consumption regardless of the date of purchase or falling within a specific usage bracket.

    “I know most people go to buy their credit at the beginning of the month, I don’t see any point in that but people have the perception that if you buy credit in the first week of the month you might get some discount. You can’t force yourself to be within the lifeline, so any time you go to buy your credit, it is as good as buying in the first week or first day of the month. It’s a normal operational issue so we don’t expect people to go and cue today in trying to avoid the effect of any adjustment that has been done,” Alhaji Abubakari Jabari added.

  • Another nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise to be embarked by ECG

    Another nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise to be embarked by ECG

    Following the fulfillment of a month-long campaign that began in March and ended in April, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has announced that it will embark on another Nationwide Revenue Mobilisation operation.

    The five-day exercise will begin on Monday, May 29 and end on Friday, June 2.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday, May 23, the company indicated that “this massive revenue mobilisation exercise will focus on all categories of customers in arrears including State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and will be monitored by special teams who will apprehend and prosecute customers who attempt to interfere with the exercise, and/or undertake illegal self-reconnection after disconnection.”

    ECG to embark on another nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise

    The Company said pursuant to this, “ECG shall operate with a lean staff pool who will provide essential services to customers during the revenue mobilisation period to enable total participation by top management and staff.”

    Meanwhile, the company says it has recovered some Gh¢3.1 billion out of the total Gh¢5.7 billion debt owned by customers in its previous revenue mobilisation drive.

    Speaking at a media briefing, the Managing Director of the Company, Samuel Mahama said although the company has achieved significant feat, there was a lot more to be done.

    “Out of the Gh¢5.7 billion ECG manage to recoup GH¢ 3.1 billion,” he said on Thursday, May 4, 2023.

    Mr Mahama said despite the attempt made to recover the remaining amount, some companies were untraceable and others had collapsed.

    “There were a number of companies that have collapsed that we cannot find in terms of some taking the meters and some of them not having their physical location present.

    “Their total bills put together is about Gh¢750 million and the last group is people who are post-paid customers. We probably want to give them the benefit of the doubt but some of them it was true.

    “There were demolishing exercises, some of them flooding so those places are no longer in existence and some of them too we just can’t find them. Their bills come up to about Gh¢750 million,” he added.

    The Managing Director warned customers using power illegally to rectify or face prosecution for power theft.

  • PURC justifies 18.36% electricity tariff increase

    PURC justifies 18.36% electricity tariff increase

    The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has defended the 18.36 percent increase in electricity and natural gas tariffs.

    According to the Commission, the decision was taken after its Quarterly Tariff Review meeting for the second quarter of the year 2023.

    The PURC blamed the depreciation of the cedi, inflation, electricity generation mix, and the weighted average cost of natural gas as the factors that influenced the latest increment.

    Director of Research and Cooperate Affairs at PURC, Dr. Eric Obutey in an interview with Citi News said the Commission was forced to increase the electricity tariff.

    “We did only 75 percent of the exchange rate. This means there was a 25 percent under-recovery that we needed to recover. So if you add all this to it, the projected exchange rate that we use currently which is 12.70, all these factors combined led to an adjustment of the tariff and upward review.”

    Meanwhile, a Member of the Energy and Mines Committee of Parliament, Dr. Rashid Pelpuo has blamed the government for the incessant electricity tariff increment.

    According to Dr. Pelpuo, the government’s inability to effectively manage the country’s economy has compelled PURC to continuously increase utility tariffs.

    “You cannot blame the people who do the increases because they want to make sure they continue to produce, that is why, I don’t want to blame the PURC but the inability of the government to maintain a good economic leverage that will give the Ghanaian the capability of paying off without these troubles we are going through.”

  • Recent power disruptions ‘largely’ rectified

    Recent power disruptions ‘largely’ rectified

    The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has stated that the recent power shortages in several sections of the country have been dealt with.

    Debilitating power cuts have been recorded in parts of the country in recent weeks with residents fuming over the unannounced intermittent outages.

    Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, May 11, Mr Dubik Mahama assured that the situation has been resolved.

    “There was a low-pressure power issue that led to us having to dump some power, over 2230 megawatts of power two days ago. Steps have been taken, and some alternative fuel has been brought in”.

    “But as we speak the matter has been resolved largely. There is enough heavy fuel with AKSA and there is some diesel with CEM power, so we will not have such problems down the line, but we have to make sure that at every point in time, there is enough fuel for this situation.”

    Meanwhile, the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) has blamed the situation on challenges with the gas pipeline from Nigeria.

    In an interview with the media, the Corporate Communications Manager of GRIDCo, Dzifa Bampoh assured of efforts to resolve the challenges.

    She apologised to Ghanaians for the challenges associated with the power supply.

    “We had a gas supply challenge from Nigeria. That has been the fundamental reason, and it has led to a multiplier effect, meaning our generating plants which use gas cannot operate fully.”.

    “On Monday and Wednesday, we had challenges getting a full-capacity of power supply and that is why there has been intermittent power supply. We apologise to Ghanaians for it, because ultimately, if there’s going to be any shortage even if it’s for a day, we are obliged to inform Ghanaians.”

  • Upper West Akim MP cuts sod for construction of electricity project for 23 communities

    Upper West Akim MP cuts sod for construction of electricity project for 23 communities

    The Member of Parliament for Upper West Akim, Fredrick Obeng Adom, has cut sod for the establishment of an electricity project for 23 communities in his constituency.

    The project, when completed, will increase the number of communities in the enclave that are connected to the national grid.

    Mr. Obeng Adom while speaking at the ceremony at Agyirikwa – one of the beneficiary communities – on Thursday, May 4, said he is prepared to ensure the constituency is properly developed for the benefit of its constituents.

    According the MP, 19 communities will benefit from phase one of the rural electrification project.

    “Today is a very important day in the life of our constituency. It is a day that processes begin for the electrification of some of our communities.”

    “I am extremely happy about it as it is going to be under my watch. But I must add that I am more than prepared to do more for this great constituency,” he said.

    Present at the event were DCE for the area, Eugene Sackey, the NPP constituency chairman, Nana Addai Obuobi, and his first Vice Chairman, Nuru Alhassan, Council of Elders, Council of Patrons and chiefs of the area.

  • National Security captures two Chinese over power theft

    National Security captures two Chinese over power theft

    The managers of Fenice Metal Technology in the Tema region, two Chinese nationals, have been detained as a result of an underground illegal connection on Thursday, April 27.

    Following an informant’s tip to Samuel Dubik Mahama, the MD of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), about the anomalies, the taskforce entered the company with representatives from the National Security.

    Revenue Protection and Technical investigation manager, Ishmael Oku, per reports from Citinews said, “the facility had its separate transformer but managed to bypass the system through an underground cable to consume power without paying. Two-thirds of the power consumed goes directly without metering.”

    Sources say the company is into the production of electrical cables.

    “The culprits will be prosecuted, and the facility surcharged to recoup the power consumed over the period,” Ishmael Oku added.

    The company has been disconnected from the national grid and served illegal connection notice to report at the ECG office.

    Meanwhile, managers of Hillburi Hotel at Aburi are expected in court on Friday over similar crimes.

    The ECG took a break from its national revenue mobilization exercise on April 20, 2023, to review its operations and revenue targets.

    The one-month exercise uncovered several illegalities, fake meters, and recovered huge sums of debts owed to the company.

    But, the revenue protection taskforce is still on the ground, checking for illegalities that are contributing to the company’s system losses.

  • Parts of Accra to experience power outage tomorrow

    Parts of Accra to experience power outage tomorrow

    Parts of Accra to experience power outage tomorrow, Friday April, 21, according to Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

    In a public notice, the ECG noted that this is to allow the power distributor to improve its service delivery.

    The power company in a notice stated that the work is scheduled to start on Friday, April 21, 2023, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

    According to ECG, areas to be affected as a result of the exercise are; Tesano, Abeka, Alajo, Caprice, North Kaneshie, Santana market, Achobo best, Kouttam, Poly product, Kane em, Duraplast, Ashfoam.

    The rest are Qualiplast, Corona, IPNL Romarong, Fowrewin Ghana, Panasonic, Polytex, Poly Craft, Piccadilly, Top Packaging, Deco plast, Innolink, Burger King, Winners Chapel, Volta Garments and Ghihoc Distillery.

    “ECG regrets the inconvenience that will arise out of this exercise,” the power distributor added.

  • NAPO assists ECG in collecting its debts

    NAPO assists ECG in collecting its debts

    The Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has said that he fully endorses the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) efforts to recover every pesewa owing to the firm.

    According to him it is important the company remains viable to deliver efficient service to consumers.

    Dr. Prempeh made these assertions when he led the ECG’s revenue protection task force to two companies that owed the company various sums of money.

    The Minister during these two engagements bemoaned the situation where companies pile up bills for a very long time and refuse to pay.

    “As a country, we cannot continue to countenance the attitude of non-payment of bills, among other illegalities and expect optimal service delivery,” he said.

    He continued “The financial capacity of the generator, transmitter and distributor is very much anchored on prompt payment of bills, especially as we work to clamp down on all forms of losses and intra-sector debts.”

    “These 3 segments of the power value-chai are symbiotically dependent on each other, and therefore we must work together to clamp down on all forms of losses”.

    The Minister said, there is no excuse whatsoever for the non-payment of electricity bills and drew an analogy where one cannot negotiate with OMCs to get fuel into his or her car.

    “When you need fuel, you cannot but pay to get it, why can’t you do same for the electricity you consume,” he quizzed

    The Minister who is also the Manhyia South MP further said that the unbearable cost of fuel for generators incurred by Ghanaians during the ‘Dumsor’ era between 2013 and 2016 is indicative of the luxury of power supply currently, and therefore urged consumers to pay promptly for the value chain to function effectively.

    The ECG taskforce continues to mount operations to retrieve all debts owed by the company.

  • More than 15,000 residents in Kwabenya were stealing power from us – ECG

    More than 15,000 residents in Kwabenya were stealing power from us – ECG

    According to the Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Mahama, the company discovered that over 15,000 of its customers in Kwabenya were tapping electricity illegally.

    “We carried out ‘Know Your Customer Drive’ in Kwabenya, and we found out that we had over 15,000 customers that we didn’t know,” he said.

    He made this known while speaking to Asaase radio on Wednesday.

    The ECG boss noted that the power producer has now turned its attention to Adenta.

    “We are tagging everybody with a unique QR code, …we want it to be coded so we can have a tailor-made service for you,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the managing director of the ECG has served notice to defaulting customers and organisations that it will soon start naming and shaming to further its revenue mobilisation drive.

    Appearing on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (22 March), Samuel Mahama, said people calling to intervene on behalf of defaulters should desist.

    He said “the phone calls should stop because, at the end of the day, you have to do the right thing. Let’s not politicise this.

    “As for the calls, they keep coming because we have realised that we are so quick to point out when it comes to state agencies that haven’t paid.

    “So, next week if they don’t pick up the slack, we are going to do that name and shame for the people of Ghana to see who the major culprits are.”

  • Oyarifa: more than 40 fake meters seized by ECG

    Oyarifa: more than 40 fake meters seized by ECG

    At Oyarifa in the Dodowa District, the Electricity Company of Ghana has seized more than 40 bogus meters.

    The task force discovered the fake meters on their routine checks to inspect the health of ECG meters.

    The Commercial Manager of the Accra East Region, Jonathan Asatente indicated that the power distribution company has been facing such incidents for some time now, but it always finds it difficult to apprehend the culprits because persons hardly volunteer information to it.

    “Even if it is our staff that is behind this, we are ready to take them on, but it is difficult to find the truth because the people here are not willing to open up to us.”

    “Some of the customers have been using these meters for years and it is just a few of them that were truthful enough to come and notify us,” Mr. Asatente added.

    The Public Relations Manager of the Accra East Region of ECG also disclosed that the ECG has been to the area sometime back and removed those meters only to return to meet them reconnected.

    “Some of the team came here first and noticed that there were meters that were not from the ECG, and so we removed some of them but as we came today, we realized that they have reconnected again. It is difficult to tell the number of customers that are involved but at the end of the day, we will find out the numbers involved.”

  • I fixed ‘dumsor’ though I did not create it – Mahama

    I fixed ‘dumsor’ though I did not create it – Mahama

    John Dramani Mahama, a former president, claimed that the energy challenge (dumsor) was something he inherited.

    However, he said, he took responsibility for the problem and solved it before leaving office in 2016.

    Mr Mahama indicated that the dumsor was a generation problem therefore his government invested in power generation as part of the solution.

    Speaking to delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday, April 14, Mr Mahama who is seeking to be elected flagbearer of the NDC said “In 2016, I wouldn’t say Ghana was a paradise but our situation was far better than it is today.

    “In 2016 our colleagues the NPP told a lot of lies about us, they labelled us as incompetent and they came with a lot of big and sweet promises to the people of Ghana and used that to persuade the people that they will be a better government than we were.

    “And so the people of Ghana tried them by voting for them, they said they should try them and that was the mistake the people of Ghana made because we have come to realise that after all the ‘we have the men. we have the men’ it was station boys, they don’t know anything.”

    He added, “If you take our ministers who were running this country in 2016 and compare them with their ministers who are running Ghana today pound for pound, our ministers were far better than any of them.”

    He further indicated that “We solved many difficult challenges, dumsor was not created by us, it was lack of generation capacity over the years, and so when we came into office we were confronted with it, we did not run away, we did not shift the blame to somebody.

    “I could have said Presidents Rawlings and Kuffuor and President Mills did not add new generation but what we did was, we took responsibility, I went to Parliament and said yes you elected us to take responsibility, we take responsibility and we shall fix it.

    “Truly, by the time we left in 2016, we had fixed dumsor, we had fixed the generational challenges Indeed, they accused us of putting in too much generation than we needed.”

  • ECG warns clients against harassing its employees

    ECG warns clients against harassing its employees

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has sternly warned its consumers against attacking its employees.

    Some staff of the company have recently come under attack while executing the company’s ongoing revenue mobilisation programme to recover some GH¢5.7 billion owed by the consuming public.

    ECG cited the detention of its personnel by the Ghana Post Company over a GH¢89,000 debt to buttress its caution.

    Some personnel of the Company were detained on March 28 by Ghana Post Company when they attempted to disconnect power over the GH¢89,000 debt.

    In a statement the ECG therefore, cautioned the general public against illegal connections and attacks on its personnel in the line of their duty which it said is a crime under Ll 2413.

    It said it will not countenance any attacks and hesitate to disconnect any customer that owes the Company or threatens its staff.

    “The Company hereby gives public notice that any customer/consumer, be they an Individual or company who refuses to allow the Company’s personnel to perform their functions as permitted by Ll 2413, will be disconnected. Further, where an assault on our staff is committed, the consumer will continue to be disconnected until such period of time that the customer has confirmed intention in writing to ensure the safety of ECG’s personnel who have rightfully entered the premises to discharge their duties and pledge not to interfere with the company’s personnel in this regard.

    “The Company further reserves its right to initiate either civil or criminal action or both against the consumer and or its officers.”

  • ECG issues nationwide “Dumsor” schedule

    ECG issues nationwide “Dumsor” schedule

    A nationwide load-shedding schedule has been announced by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in response to a decrease in power generation imposed on by the shutdown of the Atuabo gas processing plant.

    The load-shedding which kicked off on Thursday, March 30, will last till Friday, April 7, 2023, between 6.00pm and 11.00pm.

    The ECG in a statement explained that this is due to “maintenance works being carried out by the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) at Atuabo, [hence] there is a power generation shortfall. In this regard, please find below a load management schedule from Thursday, 30th March to Friday 7th April 2023, between 6.00pm and 11.00pm”.

    Volta, Ashanti, Western, Eastern, Central, Greater Accra and Tema will all be affected.

    “We call on our customers to bear the inconvenience with us while the Ghana Gas Processing Plant undertakes this all-important maintenance activity,” the ECG appealed in its statement.

    Some of the affected places in group A include: South Odorkor, Baah Yard, Odorgonno, Awoshie Massalatsi, Been-To, Parts of Trasacco, Estates, Parts of Airport Residential Area, GHIPSS, ValCo Trust, Enterprise Market, Trust Bank, Shippers Council, ABSA Bank, Ecobank, Adabraka Free Town, Government Boys, GNTC Bottling, Nayak, Ga East Hospital, Dome New Market, Agingo, Taifa, Nkatie Burger, Mr. Adjei, Demod.

    Others are Hotel Adodo, CMB Flats, Coffee Shop, Parts of Labadi, Parts of Labone, Olebu, New Ayawaso, Amamole, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ayigbe Town, Parts of Lartebiokorshie, Alogboshie, Neoplan, Best Point, Kaneshie Flats, St. Theresa, Cocoa Clinic, Accra Sound, Kaneshie Sports Complex, Parts of Kokomlemle, Mallam Atta Market.

  • Osu Police Barracks allegedly disconnected from national grid over illegal connection

    Osu Police Barracks allegedly disconnected from national grid over illegal connection

    The national revenue mobilization taskforce of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cut off power to three blocks at the police barracks at Osu in Accra due to an unauthorized connection (power was connected without a meter).

    The task force discovered the illegality on Tuesday on its usual rounds to recover monies owed by customers.

    The task force, aside from chasing people who owe ECG debts, uses the opportunity to check for illegal connections.

    “Since it’s an illegal connection, we have the first right to disconnect before we deal with issues.” The manager in charge of external communications, Laila Abubakari told Citi News.

    The disconnection is part of a national exercise to collect monies owed to ECG by customers and to also ascertain the condition of all meters.

    “The Ghana police would have to come to ECG where a bill will be generated for them covering a period of 12 months,” she added.

    She said power will be restored when they pay the surcharged amount.

    “The administration block also owes, but due to security implications, we’ve spared that facility while we discuss further the amount involved. We consider the police accommodation facilities (blocks) a general facility hence the disconnection”.

    Meanwhile, the ECG Revenue Mobilization Taskforce was held hostage for about 30 minutes after they disconnected the Ghana Post Company over GH¢89,000 debt.

    The task force was at the premises to conduct its ongoing revenue mobilization exercise on Tuesday when the staff prevented the task force from leaving the Accra main office.

    The disconnection exercise is in its second week of the month-long national exercise aimed at retrieving GH¢5.7 billion on their books.

  • Energy Ministry to supply over 2,000 electricity meters to traders at Kejetia Market

    Energy Ministry to supply over 2,000 electricity meters to traders at Kejetia Market

    The Energy Ministry, has disclosed its intentions to supply over 2,000 electricity meters to traders at Kejetia Market.

    According to the Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) the days of having just one meter for the entire market are over.

    The Minister wondered why traders could not enjoy separate meters to reduce the costs of paying high electricity bills at the facility.

    Dr. Opoku Prempeh gave the assurance while addressing traders when he visited the facility to commensurate with traders that have lost their wares and shops in last Thursday’s fire which was started by someone cooking at the place.

    “As the Minister of Energy, I have just heard the facility had only one meter. We will bring many meters, we have brought 2,000 meters, and we will continue to bring meters till all shops have their own individual meters.

    “Please, I must be frank with you too, all those that have put unapproved structures in the market will be removed from here, we will not sit unconcerned after fixing this place for such things to reoccur, that we will not accept, we are begging all.

    “With these obstacles in the market, how will any fire tender come into the market, or will any emergency situation be dealt with,” he questioned.

  • Parliament pays GHS8m out of GHS13m debt to ECG

    Parliament pays GHS8m out of GHS13m debt to ECG

    In order to avoid being disconnected, Parliament has paid the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) about GH8 million of the GH13 million debt it owe.

    The payment comes after revenue mobilization task force from ECG visited Ghana’s legislative house with the intention of disconnecting it from the national grid.

    The exercise is part of the power distributor’s effort to recover over GH¢5 billion of debt accrued by private and state institutions for non-payment since August last year.

    The exercise began today, March 20, 2023, after ECG announced the closure of its main offices except for customer support departments in order to embark on a one-month-long exercise.

    The taskforce is currently heading to another institution.

  • ‘Dumsor’ hits Energy Ministry

    ‘Dumsor’ hits Energy Ministry

    Last Tuesday March 14, 2023, the Electricity Company of Ghana paid a visit to the Ministry of Energy, cutting off electricity to the entire building for over half a day. Power was only restored after the mother ministry of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) paid their debt due in full.

    This will be the fate of many other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) who owe ECG huge amounts of money, forcing the power retailer to embark on a massive revenue mobilization exercise beginning on Monday, March 20, 2023, to Thursday, April 20, 2023.

    The exercise is using almost all ECG staff from top management to junior officers to retrieve all the monies owed them.

    According to the Managing Director, Mr Samuel Dubik Mahama Esq, the company is owed over GHS 5 billion from the month of September 2022 to February 2023.

    Most of this debt resides with the SOEs and MDAs.

    The strategy, therefore, is to take these agencies by storm, from March 20, 2023, and those who refuse to settle their bill immediately will be meted the same punishment as the Ministry of Energy.

    Ahead of this exercise, Mr Dubik Mahama toured all the operational regions of ECG to sensitize the staff on how to go about the mobilization of the revenue, to respect the customer at all times.

    He also reminded the staff that ECG is a business and not a charity and everyone must start to behave as such.

    It is expected that at the end of the exercise, 100% of the debt would be recovered.

  • Kenya electricity price increases over fuel prices and currency depreciation

    Kenya electricity price increases over fuel prices and currency depreciation

    An increase in fuel prices and a depreciating local currency has contributed to the high cost of electricity in Kenya by 10% in the most recent monthly adjustment.

    The fuel cost tax (FCC), which was Ksh6.59 ($0.051) per kilowatt-hour (kWh) last month, has increased to Ksh8.3 ($0.064) per kWh by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra).

    It is the highest rate of the fuel energy component since June 2012 when it hit a record Ksh9.03 ($0.070) per kWh.

    The Epra has also raised the foreign exchange rate fluctuation adjustment (Ferfa) to Ksh2.16 ($0.017) per unit from Ksh1.85 ($0.014) per unit last month due to the weakening shilling against the dollar.

    This has raised the unit cost of power for lifeline consumers to Ksh22 ($0.17) per unit up from Ksh20 ($0.15) last month which will force customers to pay more for the same quantity of electricity.

    New power tariffs

    This comes weeks before the country’s energy regulator is expected to publish new power tariffs that will significantly further raise power prices.

    Epra is expected to put in place new tariffs that will be in effect from April 1 for the next three years.

    This comes as global crude oil prices have been fluctuating in recent weeks, but analysts project prices to go up in the coming months owing to increased demand, especially from China.

    The Kenya shilling – which was trading at 128.36 against the US dollar on Wednesday – has continued to lose value against the greenback, piling more pressure on firms like Kenya Power which have a huge demand for dollars.

    Rising inflation

    The utility says its total monthly average use of foreign currency is $50 million and €20 million.

    The higher power prices are set to heavily hit consumers at a time when inflation in Kenya has increased to end a three-month consecutive decrease.

    Inflation climbed to 9.2 percent in February, coming after it slowed for three consecutive months to hit 9 percent in January.

    Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed that in that month, food commodities contributed greatly to the high inflation.

    The high inflation has heavily hit Kenyan businesses which saw demand for goods and services shrink for the first time in six months, according to Stanbic Bank’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI).

    The PMI fell below the 50-neutral mark to 46.6 last month – the first time it has fallen below the neutral point since August last year.

    “The reading indicated a solid deterioration in operating conditions, driven by renewed contractions in many of the covered metrics,” said the report.

    Four of the five monitored sectors in the survey saw new orders decrease, with particularly sharp falls seen in manufacturing, wholesale and retail, while agriculture was the only sector where sales increased.

  • PURC raises water and electricity rates by 8.3% and 29.96%, respectively

    PURC raises water and electricity rates by 8.3% and 29.96%, respectively

    Electricity and water rates would increase by 29.96% and 8.3%, respectively, as of February 1, 2023, according to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission.

    According to PURC, both the depreciation of the cedi and the present inflation rate make this necessary.

    The commission claims that four important variables were taken into account while determining the rate for the first quarter of 2023.

    According to a press release on January 16, “they were the Ghana Cedi/US dollar exchange rate, inflation, generation mix, and the weighted average cost of natural gas.”

    It however added that since the increment in the last quarter of 2022, the various indicators have changed significantly therefore utility companies are “under-recovering and require an upward adjustment of their tariffs in order to keep the lights on and water flowing.”

  • National Grid: Coal plants shut down in order to supply electricity

    National Grid has shut down two coal plants that were on standby to generate electricity in the event that supplies were disrupted due to cold weather.

    On Monday, the company asked Drax, which owns Britain’s largest power station, to prepare two coal-fired units.

    It is still planning to run a test of its scheme, which offers bill credits to households that reduce peak-time electricity use on Monday evenings.

    The move comes as the United Kingdom experiences a cold spell.

    It means that as more people heat their homes, demand for energy rises, and a lack of wind has reduced the amount of renewable energy available.

    It is understood because of the cold temperatures, Monday will be the highest demand day for electricity so far this winter.

    National Grid said earlier on Monday that while it had asked Drax to warm up its two coal-fired units at its site near Selby, North Yorkshire, the plants might not be used. It confirmed at lunchtime the power station had been told to stand down.

    It said households should “continue to use energy as normal”.

     

    The UK receives electricity via subsea cables from European countries including France, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, but higher demand in Europe could potentially disrupt supplies to the UK and would trigger the need for coal-generated energy.

    In October, National Grid warned there was a risk of blackouts over the winter months as a last resort if energy supplies reach low levels.

    Fintan Slye, executive director of National Grid, told the BBC on Monday that power outages were “still a possibility”, but said the network operators remained “cautiously optimistic through the winter that we will be able to manage it”.

    “We have enough supplies secured through the rest of the day that we can manage that and ensure there’s no disruption to customers’ supplies,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.

    However, the electricity system operator (ESO) arm of National Grid said it was running a test of a scheme on Monday that offers discounts on bills for households who cut their electricity use at peak times between 17:00 and 19:00.

    It allows people to save cash if they avoid high-power activities, such as cooking or using washing machines, when demand is high. National Grid has said this could save households up to £100 over the winter.

    But only homes with smart meters and whose supplier is signed up to the “Demand Flexibility Scheme” will be able to take part. About 14 million homes, less than half of all households in England, Scotland and Wales, have a smart meter installed.

    Mr Slye said the test had been triggered because National Grid wanted to “test how consumers would respond when the weather was really cold”. It is understood a decision was made by National Grid at 14:30 GMT on Sunday.

    According to National Grid ESO’s website, British Gas, EDF, Eon and Octopus are signed up to the scheme but Scottish Power appears not to be.

    Octopus told the BBC that almost 250,000 of its customers had signed up to Monday’s two-hour test so far, adding that its customers across the country had been paid £1m so far from taking part in previous “saving sessions”.

    British Gas also confirmed it would be contacting customers to take part in Monday’s scheme, but EDF said it would not be participating as it was finalising its plans.

     

     

  • Ethiopia restores electricity in Tigray capital

    The capital of the northern Tigray state, Mekelle, has power again thanks to Ethiopia. Federal troops fought rebels there during a two-year civil war that just ended last month.

    Residents in the city are now enjoying full resumption of electricity after supply was disconnected for more than a year, sources in the city told the BBC.

    “Electricity has been everywhere in the city since yesterday (Tuesday),” said a resident.

    The state-affiliated Fana broadcast quoted a spokesman of the state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) as saying that power had been restored after repair on a high-voltage line.

    State-run telecommunications firm Ethio Telecom has also restored services in Shire town and surrounding areas.

    Families living abroad have told the BBC how they finally managed to call their loved ones after two years.

    Power and telecommunication services were disrupted after war broke out in the Tigray region in November 2020.

    Source: BBC

  • Tanzania begins rationing electricity due to drought

    Tanzania has begun rationing electricity due to a drop in hydroelectric output after a severe drought, the national power company said Wednesday (November 24), with some areas facing nine-hour blackouts.

    The East African country can produce nearly 1,695 megawatts of power from hydroelectricity and natural gas, among other sources.

    But it is currently facing a shortfall of 300 to 350 megawatts, said Maharage Chande, managing director of Tanesco, the national power company.

    “There are two main reasons for the drop in production: a prolonged drought and ongoing maintenance of certain sites,” he told reporters in the economic capital Dar es Salaam.

    The site of Kihansi for example, in the region of Morogoro (south-east), has seen its production capacity fall from 180 megawatts to only 17 megawatts.

    Tanzania has been trying to increase its hydroelectricity production in recent years, thanks in particular to the construction of the controversial Julius Nyerere Dam in the Selous Reserve, which was supposed to produce around 2,100 megawatts.

    Like its neighbors, the country has experienced low rainfall and a delayed rainy season, forcing authorities to impose water rationing in Dar es Salaam last month.

    The situation is even more dramatic in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, which are facing the worst drought in decades.

     

    Source: African news

  • Mayor: Electricity in Kyiv will be restored in up to three weeks

     Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko says electricity will not be fully restored in the Ukrainian capital for at least three weeks.

    This month, Russia resumed strikes on Kyiv, targeting critical infrastructure and forcing Ukraine to implement rolling blackouts.

    According to Mr Klitschko, the city’s electricity deficit currently ranges between 20% and 50%.

    It is, therefore, still operating in an emergency capacity.

    Ukraine’s main power supplier, Ukrenergo, said it hopes to eliminate the shortages within two to three weeks – if there are no further strikes.

    Mr Klitschko said: “The city is doing everything possible to save electricity consumption. In particular, trolleybuses have been replaced by buses on many routes of communal public transport.

    “At the same time, the capital is not going to stop the metro. Once again, I call on the citizens of Kyiv and businesses to reduce electricity consumption!

    “The risk of a major blackout, when a lack of electricity can lead to even greater consequences and an even greater shutdown, there is.”

     

  • ECG district offices now selling prepaid credit amid system challenges

    The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is now able to sell credit at its district offices after some disruption to its prepaid metering systems that left customers stranded.

    Currently, customers in the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, Western and Volta Regions can visit ECG district offices to purchase electricity.

    ECG in a statement assured customers on its prepaid metering systems that its team “is working progressively to rectify the technical anomaly which affected the purchase of electricity.”

    Some Electricity consumers have been counting their losses, with some saying their businesses have been affected negatively following their inability to purchase electricity.

    Since Tuesday, ECG customers both domestic and commercial who have run out of power supply have not been able to make purchases due to what officials from ECG have referred to as a technical challenge.

    Some ECG vending centres and offices were turning people looking for electricity away.

  • UK heatwave: Thousands suffer power cuts after equipment overheats.

    Thousands of people are without power after “extreme” temperatures caused equipment to overheat.

    About 14,500 properties in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North East do not have electricity, with some believed to have been off since Monday afternoon.

    Northern Powergrid said it was working hard to restore supply to affected homes and businesses.

    Temperatures approaching 40C (107.6F) have led to conductors sagging and transformers overheating, it said.

    “We worked last night and into the early hours of today to restore power after yesterday’s extreme temperatures,” a spokesperson from the firm said.

    The company is responsible for providing power to 3.9m homes and businesses but has said there are “a higher than usual number of faults on our network” after record-breaking temperatures.

    Moya O’Neil, from Church Fenton, near Selby, said her power went off at about 21:00 BST on Monday evening.

    “Because we rely on electricity, it’s been quite unfortunate. My freezer was full, it’s now all melted. That’s got to go in the bin,” she told BBC Radio York.

    “I had a meeting today but that had to be cancelled at such short notice.”

    ‘Absolute lifesavers’

     

    In Goole, the George and Dragon pub has been opening its doors to people without electricity for use as a makeshift office as their electricity supply has not been affected.

    Jennie Marshall said the staff had been “absolute lifesavers”, saying she would have had to travel to her company’s office in Liverpool to work otherwise.

    “I work at home so with no power, no internet, no phone battery, it’s really limited. Yet again, local legends.”

    Philip Patterson, who lives in the village of Whitley, has urged Northern Powergrid to tell residents when they can expect their power to be restored.

    “Myself and my family here are quite lucky, but other people in the area are vulnerable. They need that information to plan,” he said.

    “Our teams continued work this morning to restore power to the small number of homes who were still impacted, and our contact centre are offering advice and support to those who need it most,” the Northern Powergrid spokesperson added.

    Source: BBC

  • Cheapest electricity cost: Ghana ranked 1st, 9th in West Africa, Africa

    According to Global Petrol Prices. Com, the country is also ranked 27th in the world.

    The rankings are coming at a time when the utility tariff providers in the country are making a case for increase in utility tariffs.

    The world average price of electricity is pegged at $0.133 per kilowatt/hour (kWh) for household users and $0.124 per kWh for business users.

    In Ghana, the cost of electricity per kilowatt/hour for household is $0.046 cents which is less than a dollar.

    The situation is similar to that of business consumers, though countries in the region have cheaper cost for electricity bill.

    This clearly shows that the cost of electricity in the country for household, compared to other countries on the continent is very low.

    That goes to buttress the point by the utility tariff providers for an imminent increase in electricity and water bills. Whilst the Electricity Company of Ghana is requesting for 148% increase in electricity tariff, covering 2019 and 2022, Ghana Water Company Limited is demanding for an increase of 334% in water tariff.

    Meanwhile, Sudan has the cheapest electricity tariff in Africa and the World for household.

    It is followed by Libya and Zimbabwe in 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

    RANKING OF COUNTRIES WITH CHEAPEST COST OF ELECTRICITY IN AFRICA FOR HOUSEHOLD CONSUMERS

    COUNTRY COST($) 100 cents =$1 RANKING
    Sudan 0.002 1st
    Libya 0.004 2nd
    Ethiopia 0.007 3rd
    Zimbabwe 0.013 4th
    Angola 0.027 5th
    Zambia 0.033 6th
    Algeria 0.036 7th
    Egypt 0.044 8th
    Ghana 0.046 9th
    Nigeria 0.057 10th
    Tunisia 0.068 11th
    Cameroon 0.080 12th
    DR Congo 0.083 13th
    Tanzania 0.098 14th
    Botswana 0.103 15th
    USA 0.159 16th
    UK 0.265 17th
    China 0.083 18th

    Source : myinfo.com.gh

  • Applicant has not shown exceptional circumstance for review application of interrogatories – EC

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has opposed to a motion on notice for review in respect of a dismissed application for interrogatories.

    The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the application for interrogatories saying interrogatories should be based on relevance.

    The Petitioner, Mr John Dramani Mahama in the December 7 Presidential Election Petition case has however filed a review of the dismissed application for interrogatories.

    Mr Mahama held that the interrogatories would narrow down to the issues set out for trial.

    The EC in its affidavit in opposition sworn by Mrs Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Commission noted that the motion on notice for review did not show any exceptional circumstance necessitating the application for review.

    “Besides, the application has not raised any specific miscarriage of Justice suffered by virtue of the decision of the court to refuse the application for interrogatories.

    The EC says the decision by the Court to deny the application for interrogatories was made by the court in accordance with the dictates imposed by CI 99 of 2016 and the court ought not to change its compliance with the statute.

    “I believe the application for review will not serve the interest of Justice but rather instruct the timely completion of the applicant’s (Mr Mahama) own case in court in accordance with CI 99.

    The EC said the applicant (Mr Mahama) would not suffer any injury to his rights if the court dismissed the review application as he has the opportunity to solicit the answers he seeks now during cross-examination if he so wished, adding that “unless he is actually fishing and/or trying to delay the trial”.

    “I believe there are no exceptional circumstance or legal basis for that to warrant the intervention of this honourable court in this application for review,” the EC argued.

    Meanwhile, the EC has filed another motion for abridgement of time for the application for review.

    The EC want the Supreme Court to hear the application for review on January 26 instead of January 28, this year.

    The Commission says the abridgement of time was necessary for a speedy determination for the motion.

    “I pray that in the interest of Justice and speedy determination of this matter and in line with timelines in CI 99 be abridged to January 26 subject to the convenience of the court”.

    Source: GNA

  • On what basis will you give free water, electricity – Alex Segbefia questions government

    President Akufo-Addo in April this year announced the reduction of electricity tariffs by half and provision of potable water to all Ghanaians for free in the months of April, May and June after parts of the nation were locked down as part of measures to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

    After these reliefs ended, the Minister of Finance in the mid-year budget review announced that the electricity and water subsidies have been extended for another three months to make sure the ordinary Ghanaian continues to enjoy free electricity and water while government works to eliminate the virus.

    The President in his fourteenth (14th) address to the nation on measures taken to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, however, noted that the free supply of water for another three months will be reviewed after the period ends. He added, “Government is also extending free electricity supply to lifeline tariff customers until the end of the year.”

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) congress has however chastised the president for deciding to provide Ghanaians with these freebies, especially electricity when the country already has a huge debt in that sector.

    Deputy Campaign Manager of the NDC campaign team, Alex Segbefia has opined that it is not understandable for the government to provide Ghanaians with free electricity when we are not under lockdown and restrictions have been eased considerably.

    He shared his opinion in an interview on the Happy Morning Show hosted by Samuel Eshun on Happy 98.9 FM.

    “On what basis will you give freebies when we are not under lockdown and the restrictions have been lifted? It is understandable to give free electricity during the lockdown but now that restrictions have been lifted, people can work and get money. So the question is how and why can you do this,” he queried government.

    According to him, there is no need for the government to keep on giving Ghanaian freebies but he believes the government is promoting a populace agenda. “The free electricity was not done to support the Ghanaian people to fight the COVID-19 pandemic but it was done to score political points.”

     

    Source: Happy 98.9FM

  • Government extends free supply of water and electricity

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Thursday announced the extension of free water and electricity supplies to consumers.

    The relief package was instituted by the government in response to the economic and social challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The period for water, which ended in May 2020, would be extended for additional three months while electricity will last for the next six months.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a compassionate move during the lockdown, announced three months of free electricity for lifeline consumers and 50 percent rebate for consumers, who went beyond the lifeline threshold.

    Additionally, water bills for all Ghanaians for April, May and June were taken up by the Government, following complaints of lack of potable drinking water in communities affected by the lockdown.

    The Minister announced the extension of the packages in the mid-year budget review, presented on the authority of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to the nation through Parliament, in Accra.

    The Minister assured Ghanaians that the Government would continue to put their aspirations first.

    “That is also why we further reduced electricity prices by half and completely provided potable water for free for everybody since March this year. And we will extend it for another three months,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.

    The Minister said the free water supply would be for all water consumers while the electricity supply would be limited to only lifeline consumers.

    “It takes a caring government of the people, and with that, I mean, a Government of all the people, to offer cost-free water to all across the country: representing all domestic and commercial customers in Ghana for three months.”

    “It takes a caring government to be for the people and for business, large and small, to choose to subsidise electricity consumption by 50 percent to 4,086,286 households and 686,522 businesses at a cost of ¢1.02 billion in three months.

    “And we will extend the coverage for lifeline customers for another three months,” he added.

    Source: GNA