Minority calls for comprehensive energy sector audit

The Minority Caucus in Parliament is calling for a full-scale audit of the country’s energy sector, accusing government of painting a glossy picture in the wake of billions of dollars in debt.

According to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) group, such a move will not only help establish the level of indebtedness of the sector but also its true state.

The demand of the minority follows a letter from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to the Presidency warning of imminent bankruptcy of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Addressing the media in Parliament, Minority spokesperson on Energy, John Jinapor accused government of attempts to sweet the challenges of the sector under the carpet despite the over $2 billion overhang.

“The energy sector debt alone, based on our rough estimates, is more than $2 billion as we speak. They are misapplying the energy sector levy’s revenues. They are also misapplying the energy sector recovery levy.

“Clearly, there is a major problem confronting us. We therefore call for a full audit of the entire energy sector so that we will have a fair and firm appreciation of the state of indebtedness, the state of dilapidation, so that whoever assumes office would prepare to tackle the challenges. There is an attempt to sweep all the challenges under the carpet and hope that they can just cross over the next election,” Mr. Jinapor told reporters.

The Yapei MP further accused government of inflating the $31 million to $70 million for the relocation of the Ameri plant to Kumasi

Touching of the proposed merger between the Volta River Authority and Bui Power Authority, Mr. Jinapor assured the staff of VRA an NDC government will halt such a process.

“Let me state on authority and without equivocation that President Mahama has instructed me to put it out there to VRA workers and Ghanaians that a future-led Mahama government will abandon this course,” he said at the press engagement. “A future-led Mahama government would halt this process. We will not sell the assets of VRA.”