The Government of Ghana has approved a strategic exemption of electricity bills for selected state institutions, following a Cabinet decision chaired by President John Dramani Mahama.
The initiative, announced by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted service delivery in critical sectors, including security, health, and education.
According to the Minister, the exemptions apply strictly to core operational facilities within these ministries and do not extend to auxiliary or non-essential units.
The policy, which takes immediate effect, will see the Ministry of Finance absorb the electricity costs through budgetary allocations.
Institutions covered under the exemption include:
- Office of the President
- Ministry of Defence – covering military intelligence, national defence communications, and emergency systems only.
- Ministry of the Interior – limited to police and emergency response units.
- Ministry of Health – including hospitals, theatres, blood banks, labs, and wards (excluding staff housing and leisure spaces).
- Ministry of Education – covering classrooms, lecture halls, universities, labs, and research facilities (excluding dormitories and recreational areas).
Meanwhile, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) have been directed to intensify revenue collection from non-exempt institutions and are authorised to disconnect power to defaulting entities.
Minister Jinapor emphasised that the measure balances the need for uninterrupted public services with fiscal responsibility.
“This exemption ensures uninterrupted services in sectors vital to national security, health, and education, while also enforcing accountability among non-exempt users, ” he said.