Free electricity for locked-down areas is not the idea of National Democratic Congress (NDC) legislators, says the Majority Leader.
Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu told JoyNews that the Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) should not be credited with the idea of free electricity for locked-down areas because it is already under consideration by Cabinet.
He said a decision would soon be taken by Cabinet in relation to subsidising or absorbing the entire tariff for the areas under lockdown.
He noted that the government is considering all factors, including the impact such a move would have on the country’s economy.
Addressing the press earlier, the NDC MPs asked that the government uses some GH¢241million to subsidise electricity.
The sum was budgeted to pay for some tax reliefs granted to health workers for their role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
But the NDC MPs want the government to rather use it to subsidise electricity cost in the locked-down areas.
The tax waivers to health workers, they say, should be done under Article 174 of the Constitution, meaning the government needs not bear the cost.
Minority spokesperson on finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, said this suggestion was rejected.
Ghana’s case count
Meanwhile, Ghana’s confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease have increased to 313.
The Ghana Health Service also confirmed one additional fatality, taking the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Ghana to six.