Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, the CEO of Independent Power Generators Ghana, has expressed strong opposition to the privatization of the Electricity Company of Ghana‘s (ECG) debt collection and billing services, describing the move as wasteful and counterproductive. He argues instead for the nationwide rollout of prepaid meters to improve ECG’s revenue mobilization.
President John Dramani Mahama in his first State of the Nation Address on February 27, 2025, revealed that ECG has accumulated a debt of GH¢68 billion, raising concerns about the company’s financial stability and its capacity to deliver reliable electricity services.
However, in an interview, Dr. Apetorgbor stressed that ECG should prioritize technological investments to tackle its recurring challenges. He also urged the company to adopt real-time monitoring technologies for voltage fluctuations to enhance service reliability.
“What we’re saying is that the tariffs should be cost-effective and should enable ECG to recover its most competitive or efficiency cost. We even proposed that stringent cost measures should be implemented in ECG’s administrative or operational activities. We looked at the issue of technology, we’re way behind technology in the power sector.
“There’s no where in the world or people going after customers to come and pay bills, implement pre-paid meters, automatically everybody pays for the services. Why waste resources to bring in companies to be going after customers for debt collection?. It’s a waste of resources,” he said.
The government has secured a special Independence Day data bundle deal with Ghana‘s three major telecom providers, MTN Ghana, Telecel Ghana, and AT Ghana—offering 6GB of data for just GHS10. This marks a significant upgrade from the usual 1GB or 3GB holiday bundles available at the same price.
Announcing the offer on his Facebook page, the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam George, stated, “Under the instructions of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, we have reached a special Independence Day bundle package on all three networks in the country.”
He further highlighted the government’s vision for an interconnected nation, saying, “This highlights our commitment as a government to build the enablers for a truly digitalized Ghana that offers the vast opportunity of the interconnected world to Ghanaians right in the comfort of their homes.”
Many internet users have welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention in reducing the cost of data. This move aligns with broader efforts to bridge the digital divide and enhance digital inclusion in the country.
Beyond the Independence Day package, the minister assured Ghanaians of more efforts to lower data costs in the long term. “Tomorrow, the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations will outline short, medium and long-term plans towards a sustained reduction in data prices,” he revealed.
The government has secured a special Independence Day data bundle deal with Ghana‘s three major telecom providers, MTN Ghana, Telecel Ghana, and AT Ghana—offering 6GB of data for just GHS10. This marks a significant upgrade from the usual 1GB or 3GB holiday bundles available at the same price.
Announcing the offer on his Facebook page, the Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam George, stated, “Under the instructions of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, we have reached a special Independence Day bundle package on all three networks in the country.”
He further highlighted the government’s vision for an interconnected nation, saying, “This highlights our commitment as a government to build the enablers for a truly digitalized Ghana that offers the vast opportunity of the interconnected world to Ghanaians right in the comfort of their homes.”
Many internet users have welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention in reducing the cost of data. This move aligns with broader efforts to bridge the digital divide and enhance digital inclusion in the country.
Beyond the Independence Day package, the minister assured Ghanaians of more efforts to lower data costs in the long term. “Tomorrow, the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations will outline short, medium and long-term plans towards a sustained reduction in data prices,” he revealed.
The government has made a significant savings of GH₵ 19 Million after scaling down the 68th Independence Day Celebration, marking another milestone of fiscal prudence under the new administration.
Independence Day Celebration is a mega event on Ghana‘s National Calendar as it marks the day Ghana gained its freedom from colonialism. Over the years, the celebrations have taken various forms, straining the public purse.
Prior to the 68th Anniversary, the status quo was a national celebration in addition to a district and regional level celebrations. The previous administration, in an attempt to bring the national celebration, which used to be held at the Independence Square, closer to the people, decided to rotate the celebration among the various regional capitals.
However, the first Independence Day anniversary under the new government took a different turn. In a drastic decision, President Mahama caused the commemoration to be held at the forecourt of the Presidency instead of the Independence Square or any of the regional capitals.
The President says the decision became necessary considering the current economic difficulties the country has been grappling with in recent years. He says the celebrations over the years have been a major drain on the country’s coffers due to the substantial logistical and infrastructure costs they come along with.
For instance, in 2023, the celebration in Koforidua cost the state GH₵ 15 million, while the 2022 event in Ho also required GH₵13.7 million.
This year’s event, President Mahama in his speech revealed, was estimated to cost the country GH₵ 20 Million. However, by holding a modest ceremony at the forecourt of the President, the state has saved only 95% of the budget representing a savings of GH₵ 19 million.
This means that the entire celebration will only cost the country just GH₵ 1 million.
The President says after workers have already accepted salary adjustments below the rate of inflation, it will be untenable to justify a lavish celebration at such a critical time.
“Unfortunately, this year we are constrained not only to interrupt the celebration’s rotation amongst the regions, but also to hold it on a scaled-down version here at the forecourt of the Presidency instead of the traditional Black Star Square. This is necessary considering the economic crisis our nation is currently experiencing,” he indicated.
He added, “This year, we received estimates of at least 20 million Ghana cedis for holding the event at the Independence Square on the same scale as the previous years. In a year when we are calling on all to sacrifice, including workers who have graciously accepted a base pay adjustment far below the rate of inflation, it is unconscionable to spend that kind of money on a few hours of celebration. Today’s event would save us 95% of the estimated cost of the event.”
This is another step taken by the John Mahama-led government towards protecting the public purse. Already, unnecessary travels by government officials have been banned. All necessary travels must be sanctioned by the Chief of Staff, while first class tickets have been banned outrightly.
Many analysts and economists have welcomed the cost-cutting move indicating that as the country continues to navigate its economic challenges, these decisions serve as a testament to the importance of making tough but necessary financial choices for the greater good of the economy.
Ghana’s economy is losing approximately 2% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) each year due to inefficiencies in the electricity sector, according to Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister of Finance.
Speaking at the National Economic Dialogue on Monday, Dr. Forson highlighted the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) failure to collect payments from all electricity consumers, leading to an annual revenue loss of about 25%. This translates to approximately $418.2 million in losses caused by power theft and non-payment.
He further disclosed that only 62% of the total energy purchased by ECG is actually paid for by consumers, and of that amount, only 65% is used to pay suppliers through the Cash Water Mechanism. He also criticized the existing electricity tariffs, stating that about 50% of the cost of providing electricity remains uncovered, adding that tariffs should not serve as compensation for ECG’s inefficiencies.
“These financial shortfalls have hindered the company’s ability to invest in infrastructure improvements and maintain a stable power supply,” Dr. Forson stated.
The impact of ECG’s inefficiencies extends beyond the energy sector, affecting industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and general economic productivity due to unreliable electricity supply.
Ghana has faced longstanding challenges with its power sector, including the severe energy crisis between 2012 and 2015, commonly known as “dumsor.” In response, the government signed numerous power purchase agreements with independent power producers, leading to an oversupply of energy. By 2018, the country’s installed generation capacity was nearly twice its peak demand, forcing the government to pay for unused electricity. This situation has contributed to an annual deficit of approximately $1 billion in the energy sector.
Dr. Forson also raised concerns about the Energy Sector Recovery Program (ESRP), a roadmap designed to restore financial stability in the energy sector, stating that it is currently off track. He emphasized the need for urgent reforms and strategic measures to address these inefficiencies and drive economic growth.
As Ghana continues to grapple with energy sector challenges, experts argue that decisive action is required to prevent further financial losses and ensure a sustainable power supply for economic development.
With some of the world’s automotive giants setting up assembly plants in Ghana, the country is fast emerging as a hub for innovation, economic growth, and a new era in transportation. This transformation is undoubtedly positioning Ghana as a leader in automotive development within the sub-region and the rest of Africa.
Ghana’s automotive sector has traditionally been dominated by retailers of imported used vehicles, with only a few distributors handling new car sales. However, the landscape is gradually shifting with the implementation of the Ghana Automotive Development Program (GADP), which has attracted major global automakers. Currently, six automobile assemblers are registered under the GADP: Volkswagen, Toyota, Rana Motors, Sinotruck, Japan Motors, and Kantanka.
Volkswagen Ghana made history in August 2020 as the first automotive company to register under the GADP. Having assembled vehicles locally for the past five years, Volkswagen Ghana is now working closely with the government and key private sector players to introduce a vehicle financing facility aimed at making new cars more affordable for Ghanaian consumers.
Jeffrey Oppong Peprah, Managing Director of Volkswagen Ghana, noted the challenge of vehicle affordability in Ghana, where the majority of cars are purchased outright with cash. Unlike in developed markets where financing schemes enable consumers to spread payments over time, Ghanaian buyers often save for long periods to afford vehicles, which has led to a high demand for used cars.
Recognizing this challenge, Volkswagen Ghana is engaging stakeholders, including banks, insurance companies, and the Automobile Association, to create an incentivized loan system with lower interest rates tailored for vehicle purchases. Currently, commercial loan interest rates exceed 24%, making car financing inaccessible to many Ghanaians.
“We are engaging the government to see how we can implement a financing model with reduced interest rates, significantly lower than the prevailing market rates, to make new vehicles more accessible,” Oppong Peprah stated. “If we can develop a structure where consumers have the opportunity to spread payments over time, it will not only increase demand but also reduce the reliance on imported used cars.”
Volkswagen’s local assembly operations have already contributed to cost reductions, with import taxes waived for assembled units, leading to a price drop of over 30% compared to fully imported vehicles. If coupled with an efficient financing scheme, locally assembled cars could become even more affordable, eventually competing with used vehicles in terms of price.
The initiative aligns with Ghana’s broader automotive development agenda, which seeks to encourage local vehicle assembly and reduce the country’s dependence on second-hand imports. By making financing more accessible, Volkswagen Ghana hopes to boost new vehicle sales while ensuring that consumers have access to reliable and warranty-backed automobiles.
Raju Parwani, Automobile industry watcher
Automobile industry analyst Raju Parwani told The High Street Journal that the success of the proposed financing model could transform Ghana’s automotive industry, creating a sustainable ecosystem that benefits both consumers and industry players.
He noted that increased sales of locally assembled vehicles could help curb the importation of used cars, which often have less efficient engines and outdated emission control technologies.
“Many imported used vehicles have higher carbon dioxide emissions compared to newer models due to their aged combustion systems,” he explained.
Parwani also praised initiatives where institutions facilitate vehicle acquisition for their staff directly from manufacturers, describing such arrangements as forward-looking and beneficial to both employees and the industry.
