Ghana’s parliament faced a brief blackout on Thursday, February 29th, as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) disconnected power due to unpaid bills. The incident, which reportedly occurred during a debate on the President’s State of the Nation address, even left some lawmakers briefly stuck in an elevator.
ECG claims the parliament owes $1.8 million (over 1 billion FCFA) and had previously issued a notice regarding the outstanding amount. The company’s director, William Boateng, stated, “Disconnections are for everybody; anyone who doesn’t pay and fails to make arrangements, the team will disconnect.”
However, the parliament of the West African Nation disputes the figure, claiming the amount is inaccurate. Ghanaian media reported that power was restored after the parliament paid $1 million (over 605 million FCFA) towards the debt and pledged to settle the remaining balance.
This incident highlights a broader issue of government institutions facing electricity bill challenges. In Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu recently ordered the payment of over 130 million FCFA (342,352,217 Naira) to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) after the company threatened to disconnect power at Aso Rock, the presidential villa.
On February 19th, AEDC revealed that 86 federal institutions, including Aso Rock, collectively owe over 17 billion FCFA (47 billion Naira) in electricity bills. These incidents raise questions about accountability and financial management within government bodies across both countries.
The same Ghanaian parliament passed a new bill two days ago that imposes a prison sentence of up to three years for people who identify as LGBTQ+. Additionally, it enforces a maximum five-year prison sentence for establishing or financing LGBTQ+ organisations. Lawmakers were vocal in their opposition to replacing prison sentences with community service and counselling. This development reflects the increasing resistance to LGBTQ+ rights in the conservative West African nation.
The bill has the support of Ghana’s two major political parties and will be enacted once President Nana Akufo-Addo signs it into law. If the majority of Ghanaians want him to, he mentioned he would do so. In Ghana, engaging in homosexual activities is illegal and can result in a three-year prison sentence.
It would seem Ghana’s parliament is more adept at achieving things that have little impact on the development of the nation, than handling issues such as electricity and power supply.
