The Ghanaian government wants to boost the energy sector with $100 million

The Parliament of Ghana has approved about $100 million dollars for the Ministry of Energy to spend in the 2019 fiscal year.

This follows a budget the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta presented to parliament last month.

The amount will be used to improve activities in the Power sub-sector and the Petroleum Sub-sector.

The Chairman of the Committee of Mines and Energy, Emmanuel Akwasi-Gyamfi, speaking on the floor of parliament today, December 12, 2018, was hopeful the budget will resolve challenges in the power sector as well as improve activities in agencies under the ministry.

He said, “The ministry has been allocated a total amount of 500,964,480 million to implement its programmes and activities for the 2019 financial year,” adding that, “Out of this amount $4 million dollars and $6 million representing 3.9% and 5.5% have been earmarked for compensation and goods and services respectively.”

Meanwhile, some Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Mines and Energy Committee are unhappy about the actual funds that go to the Ministry of Energy to undertake projects in the Petroleum and power sub-sectors of the country.

According to them, the claimed development is badly affecting the government’s aim of expanding electricity to rural areas.

Minority Spokesperson on Energy and a member of the Mines and Energy Committee, Adam Mutawakilu, reacting on the floor of parliament, revealed that the situation is having a negative effect on the energy sector.

“If you look at the actual money that went to the ministry it was less than what was approved. This I believe affected the rural electrification project. The government can do better,” he said.