Ghana’s Energy Minister, John Abdulai Jinapor, has issued a stern warning to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) that owe substantial debts to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). He emphasized that these entities risk disconnection if they fail to settle their outstanding bills.
Addressing the Energy Committee of Parliament, Minister Jinapor highlighted the alarming levels of debt owed by state agencies, singling out Ghana Water Limited for failing to make any payment over the past seven months. This has resulted in an accumulated debt of approximately GH₵1 billion .
Minister Jinapor stressed the importance of prompt payment to ensure the stability of the power sector. He noted that the burden of unpaid bills should not fall on ordinary citizens and that ECG must take decisive action to recover the owed amounts.
To address the issue, the Cabinet has approved guidelines to identify and exempt only essential services from disconnection. These exemptions will be limited to critical functions within sectors such as health, education, and security. Even for these, the Ministry of Finance is expected to budget and pay for their electricity consumption.
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