Business News of Wednesday, 22 July 2020

Source: GNA

Capture US$1.4 billion debt owed us in Mid-year budget - CIPDiB to gov't

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta

The Chamber of Independent Power Producers and Bulk Consumers [CIPDIB] is demanding the Government to factor the payment of the about USD$1.4 billion debt owed them in the 2020 mid-year budget.

The CIPDiB is expecting that the budget would address how the government intends to pay all the debts it owed the Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

A statement issued and signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the CIPDiB, Mr. Elikplim Kwablah Apetorgbor, and copied to the Ghana News Agency said, the Government's cumulative indebtedness to them is compelling them to contract costly loans to sustain their generations.

"This situation is grim and there is a real danger of IPPs shutting their plants if the situation is not resolved in the immediate term," it added.

The statement urged the Government to include measures to ensure that the shortfalls in the Electricity Company of Ghana's (ECG) revenues are addressed as and when they occur, to ensure that IPPs and others who supply products or services to the ECG were paid on time.

It maintains that the IPPs could not be responsible for the Government’s subsidies and other obligations.