Power outage
As Ghana grapples with persistent power challenges, civil society organisation Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) has called on government to adopt robust governance, transparency, and accountability measures as a long-term solution to the country’s energy sector crisis.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 10, CFF-Ghana expressed grave concern over the deepening financial and operational difficulties facing Ghana’s energy sector. The group cited financial shortfalls, a mounting debt portfolio of $3.1 billion, gas shortages, and systemic inefficiencies as key indicators of a sector in distress.
However, the organisation pointedly argued that the root causes go beyond funding gaps. “In our candid view, the causes of the perennial energy sector crisis are not just financial but the result of mismanagement and wanton corruption,” the statement said. “It is a matter of public knowledge that there is a syndicate in the energy sector consisting of political appointees and technocrats who exploit the sector for their personal gain.”
CFF-Ghana questioned why successive governments have failed to dismantle what it described as entrenched cartels within the sector, noting that the failure to enforce accountability has severely undermined public trust and energy sector stability.
While acknowledging the complexity of the crisis, the group rejected tariff hikes as a viable long-term solution. “Overreliance on tariff increments cannot take the country out of the woods,” it said. “At best, it imposes an unnecessary financial burden on poor households and struggling industries.”
As part of its recommendations, CFF-Ghana called on Energy Minister John Jinapor to champion comprehensive regulatory reforms, strengthen procurement oversight, and enhance fiscal discipline to curb corruption. It also urged government to regulate the controversial fuel coupon scheme and sanction public officials who abuse state resources by leaving engines and air-conditioners running during public events.
In addition, the organisation called for broader stakeholder engagement on the recently introduced GHC1 fuel levy to promote consensus and public ownership of energy sector reforms.
“In the spirit of transparency and accountability, we urge government to update the public on how individuals accused of wrongdoing in the energy sector are being prosecuted in accordance with the law,” the statement concluded.
CFF-Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to national development by advocating for policies that place people at the centre of public service delivery.
