President John Dramani Mahama, excludes the presidency a policy directive exempting several key state institutions and agencies from paying electricity bills.

Under the new arrangement, Mahama excludes the presidency, and the Ministry of Finance will assume full financial responsibility for the electricity consumption of these selected institutions, using funds allocated to it under the budget for goods and services.

Sustain essential public services

The directive is intended to ease the financial burden on these vital government services and ensure their uninterrupted operation across the country.

According to the Cabinet decision, Mahama excludes the presidency, and the exemptions are targeted, not blanket, and apply only to specified services and facilities within each institution, rather than entire ministries.

List of exempted ministries

Institutions and agencies granted exemptions include:

The Office of the President

The Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of the Interior

The Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Education

These exemptions, however, are limited to certain operational facilities deemed essential to national development and public service delivery.

Education sector: Learning spaces only

For the Ministry of Education, the exemptions cover institutions of learning such as schools, colleges, and universities.

Specific facilities within these institutions that are exempt include:

Computer and science laboratories

University lecture halls

Medical and research laboratories

Facilities not included in the exemptions are:

Dormitories

Assembly halls

Staff bungalows

Hostels

Dining halls

Craft and trade workshops

Recreational facilities

Any other non-strategic facilities not directly used for learning

Health sector: Critical care infrastructure

In the case of the Ministry of Health, the exemptions cover hospitals and key health facilities such as:

Blood banks

Operating theatres

Medical laboratories

Vaccine storage centres

Designated pharmacies

Patient wards

Consulting rooms and critical offices

Excluded from the exemptions are:

Staff bungalows

Street lighting

Recreational centres

Facilities not directly tied to patient care

Any auxiliary installations not classified as strategic

Implementation and oversight

The directive includes a classification system to ensure clarity on what constitutes a strategic or exempt facility. Institutions are expected to strictly adhere to these classifications, and implementation will be subject to oversight and periodic review.

This move underscores the Mahama administration’s focus on sustaining critical national services while managing public sector spending in a targeted and strategic manner.