The minority spokesperson on Energy, Adam Mutawakilu is unhappy with the situation where despite a set budget for the Energy Ministry, by the time the fiscal year concludes,the actual disbursed funds for projects falls way short of the required sum.
The spokesperson who represents citizens of the Damongo Constituency lamented on the floor of parliament that despite the ministry’s budget being GHc914 million in 2018 only21 percent was released severely hampering the extension of electricity to the rural areas.
Other members of parliament on the Mines and Energy Committee are equally unhappy about actual funds which end up at the Energy Ministry to undertake projects in the Petroleum and power sub-sectors of the country.
Meanwhile parliament has approved an amount of GHc500,964,480, being the budget estimates of the Ministry of Energy for the 2019 fiscal year.
Mr. Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi, Chairman of the Committee on Mines and Energy says the ministry seeks to develop an energy economy with reliable supply of high quality energy service for the Ghanaian economy and for export.
He also noted the ministry has targeted a total of 1,250 communities to be connected to the national grid to increase the access rate from the current level of 84.32per cent to 87 per cent.
By Michael Eli Dokosi