Berekum West MP Concerned About Politicization of Energy Tariffs

Member of Parliament for Berekum West, Dickson Kyere-Duah, has expressed concern over the increasing politicisation of adjustments to energy and water tariffs.

Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, Mr. Kyere-Duah emphasized the need for public education regarding the link between these tariff changes and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quarterly conditionalities.

He attributed Ghana’s current economic difficulties to what he described as “reckless borrowing” and “fiscal indiscipline” under the previous administration, a situation he said led to pensioners being unable to access their bond investments.

According to the MP, the substantial debt accumulated by the previous government necessitated seeking financial assistance from the IMF, which included stipulations for regular tariff adjustments. “The excessive borrowing forced Ghana to seek support from the International Monetary Fund,” he stated.

Mr. Kyere-Duah pointed out that the previous government’s reluctance to implement these adjustments, driven by political and electoral considerations, resulted in Ghana missing all IMF performance targets. This, he revealed, led to the withholding of a $350 million tranche of funding.

“It was the previous government that signed the IMF agreement, and therefore the current government has no option but to comply with the programme,” he stressed.

Addressing the energy sector specifically, the MP highlighted years of underinvestment, leading to inefficient infrastructure and significant debt. He disclosed that upon assuming office, the current administration faced threats of plant shutdowns from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) due to outstanding payments.

Mr. Kyere-Duah cautioned against freezing tariffs to gain political advantage, explaining that such actions can create a cycle where governments lack the funds to pay power generators, fuel suppliers, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), and GRIDCo. “For political competition, governments sometimes refuse to increase tariffs when they do not have the funds to pay power generators, fuel suppliers, ECG distributors, and GRIDCo transmitters,” he warned.

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