Dr. Gideon Boako, Member of Parliament for the Tano North Constituency, has stirred renewed debate over Ghana’s electricity tariff trajectory with a data-driven comparison between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administrations from 2009 to 2024.
In a statement posted on his official platform, Dr. Boako presented figures from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) that highlight what he described as stark contrasts in how the two dominant political parties have managed electricity tariffs over the past 16 years.
“The data I am sharing below depicts increases/reduction in electricity tariffs under the NDC (from 2009 to 2016) and NPP (from 2017 to 2024). It is instructive to note that both political regimes experienced IMF programmes in their first and second terms,” he wrote, setting the stage for a historical comparison.
According to Dr Boako, under the NDC administration, electricity tariffs saw significant yearly increases, including an 89% rise in 2010, 58.9% in 2013, and a staggering 90.93% in 2015.
The cumulative increase in tariffs under the NDC’s eight-year rule stood at 294.6%, translating to an average annual hike of 36.8%.
“While under the NDC, electricity tariffs were increased astronomically, Ghanaians at the same time were living in dumsor,” he noted, referencing the infamous nationwide power outages that plagued the country between 2012 and 2016.
In contrast, Dr Boako emphasized that the NPP government, under President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, adopted a more moderate approach.
The cumulative increase in tariffs from 2017 to 2024 was 57.45%, averaging 7.2% per year. Notably, there were no increases in 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2022, with a 17.5% reduction recorded in 2018.
“Under the Nana Addo-Bawumia government, electricity tariffs saw minimal increase with corresponding steady and reliable supply of electricity power,” Boako claimed, attributing this to sound energy management and policy planning.
He also issued a subtle warning regarding the new NDC administration, which took office in early 2025.
“Today, the government of the NDC that promised to reduce the cost of living for Ghanaians has, in their first four months in office, increased electricity tariffs by 14.75%,” Boako pointed out, suggesting that more hikes could be on the horizon. “Coming events, they say, cast their own shadows.”
Anticipating potential justifications linked to Ghana’s ongoing IMF programme, Dr Gideon Boako was quick to counter that line of argument.
“Let this not be blamed on any IMF programme because the data above shows that under the same IMF programmes, the NPP managed the electricity tariffs better,” he stated.
His post, which has since sparked considerable public discussion, reopens long-standing debates about the economic governance of utility pricing, the role of international financial institutions, and the real cost of energy sector reforms under different political regimes.
However, as Ghana navigates another IMF-supported economic programme, questions persist about how electricity tariffs will be managed moving forward—and which governance model offers the best outcomes for ordinary Ghanaians.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
