Energy Ministry responsible for 86% of public sector financial breaches

The Ministry of Energy has been identified as the government entity with the highest financial irregularities in 2024.

The Ministry accounted for GH¢15.8 billion, an astonishing 86% of all public sector breaches recorded that year.

According to the Auditor-General’s latest report, the Ministry was responsible for GH¢15,832,975,487 out of the total GH¢18.42 billion in irregularities documented across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as of December 31, 2024.

Most of these infractions were linked to contract and procurement violations, as well as issues related to inventory and tax compliance.

The findings point to systemic weaknesses in how public contracts are awarded, executed, and monitored within the energy sector.

At the heart of these concerns is the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), which was cited for major reporting failures and poor internal controls.

In 2023 alone, ECG understated its actual revenue by over GH¢2.95 billion, reporting GH¢8.64 billion instead of the GH¢11.59 billion it collected.

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Although the Auditor-General noted that much of the GH¢15.8 billion is considered recoverable, the report strongly emphasised the need for strict enforcement of financial rules, tighter procurement oversight, and stronger internal audit functions across MDAs.

“We recommended strict implementation of our recommendations to ensure financial discipline in the management of public resources,” the report stated.

With the government also under pressure to meet IMF performance benchmarks and restore macroeconomic stability, these findings are expected to impact future budget allocations and trigger tighter sectoral oversight in the months ahead.

This revelation is especially troubling given Ghana’s ongoing efforts to reform the energy sector, expand infrastructure, and accelerate the energy transition.