About ¢20m ‘missing’ as Energy Ministry blows ¢64m on fixing and maintaining street lights
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By Isaac Newton Tetteh – GITFIConline.com
Accra – Ghana’s Energy Ministry is to account for about ¢20 million as the ministry spent some ¢64 million on fixing and maintaining street lights in 2018 and 2019.
Mr. John Peter Amewu, Minister in charge of energy has said in parliament that, although over ¢273 million was collected for the Public Lighting Levy between 2018 and 2019, only ¢83 million was transferred to the Ministry for the purpose of fixing and maintaining street lights.
This amount was collected by Electricity Company (ECG), Volta River Authority (VRA) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) as indicated in the Energy Sector Amendment Act.
The Energy Minister made this revelation when responding to questions by Adaklu MP, Mr. Kwame Agbodza Governs on how much the country has collected by the Ministry in relation to street lights and the fraction utilised in 2018 and 2019.
On the face of the fact presented to Parliament the Energy Ministry is to account for almost ¢20 million as it spent only ¢64 million out of ¢83million transfered to the Ministry for the purposes of fixing and maintaining street lights in the country adding that not all the funds were utilised
Per the Energy Sector Levies Act 2017, 3% per kWh of electricity shall be charged on all categories of consumers as indicated in the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act 2017, (Act 946).
The levy is used to support payment of energy bills consumed by traffic lights, on highways, maintenance and investment of traffic lights and, street lights and public lights on highways by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.