Former Energy Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah is calling for a comprehensive audit of the GH¢10 billion generated from the Energy Sector Levy (ESLA).
Buah, who currently serves as the Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament, alleges mismanagement of these funds by the Finance Ministry.
He argues that this mismanagement has contributed to crippling debt within the energy sector, exacerbating recent power outages across the country.
In an interview with Citi News, the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle expressed concerns over the government’s inability to procure fuel due to financial constraints, which is contributing to the ongoing power crisis.
He emphasized the urgent need to address the issue of mismanagement of the substantial revenue generated through energy sector levies.
Buah highlighted the immediate causes of the crisis, which he identified as the loss of generation capacity due to a lack of coordination and planning, as well as financial constraints preventing the purchase of fuel. He stressed the importance of addressing the mismanagement of the funds collected through energy sector levies, which amounts to nearly GH¢10 billion.
According to Buah, the inability of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to pay power producers for fuel is a significant factor contributing to the current crisis. He called for proper management and accountability regarding the use of the funds collected from energy sector levies to address the root causes of the ongoing power outages.