Electricity subsidy extension to cost govt GH¢60m - Dep. Energy Minister

The government’s programme of subsidizing electricity consumption for the next three months is estimated to cost 60 million Ghana cedis, Deputy Minister for Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo has disclosed.

President Akufo-Addo in April this year announced the reduction of electricity tariffs by half and provision of potable water for free to all Ghanaians for the months of April, May and June to make up for lost income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Government has thus extended the free water and electricity to lifeline customers for another three month period.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta in the 2020 mid-year budget review and supplementary estimates for the 2020 financial year to Parliament on Thursday, July 23, 2020.

Highlighting on the move on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 Fm, the Deputy Energy Minister said the government is expected to pump not less than 20 million cedis every month for the three month period.

He said 99% of the population is covered with the government’s initiative in the energy sector, contrary to the opposition’s propaganda of limited coverage.

The move takes effect from July, Owuraku Aidoo noted and presumably ends in September.