FACT-CHECK: Claim that ESLA accounts accrued GH¢30 billion under Mahama is false

Claim: John Mahama left GH¢30 billion in the ESLA fund at the time he was leaving office.

Source: Dr. Samuel Ayeh, NDC Communications Team Member

Verdict: FALSE

Researched by Samuel Nii Adjetey

A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team, Dr Samuel Ayeh has claimed that former President John Mahama left GH¢30 billion in the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA) accounts before leaving office in 2016.

Speaking on TV3’s New Day programme on October 30, 2024, Dr Ayeh said, “because of John Mahama’s investment and his visionary leadership, in ensuring that Ghana has money to pay all the legacy debts in the energy sector, he left us 30 Billion Ghana cedis in that ESLA.” [1:44:45-1:45:08]. 

Background

The Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA), introduced in 2015, was created to consolidate several energy-related levies in Ghana and address various energy sector debts, including power and fuel supply liabilities. 

Revenues generated under ESLA are crucial in helping to stabilize and support the sector, but questions often arise regarding the amounts collected and management of the same over time.

Fact-check

To verify the claim of GH¢30 billion cedis lodged in ESLA accounts as at 2016, GhanaFact reviewed data from two official sources: the Ministry of Finance’s 2017 Annual Report on the Management of the Energy Sector Levies and Accounts and the 2017 Budget Statement.

According to the 2017 report (on page 10), GH¢6.4 billion was collected under ESLA in 2016 and 2017, of which GH¢5.5 billion was lodged into ESLA accounts, with GH¢4.9 billion utilized during the same period. 

The 2017 Budget Statement further clarifies the figures from 2016, stating that “a target of GH¢3.25 billion was set for energy sector levy collections that year. Actual collections surpassed this target, reaching GH¢3.29 billion, an increase over the projected amount.”

Based on publicly available records,  President John Mahama’s administration did not hand-over GH¢30 billion in the ESLA accounts before leaving office.

GhanaFact investigated the total amount of revenue accrued in the ESLA accounts under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government – the account has accrued GH¢33.2 billion between 2017 and 2023. 

Energy Sector Levy collections from 2017 to 2023

Fig 1 – ESLA accruals from 2017 – 2023 (Data from MoF annual reports on the Energy Sector Levies and Accounts.)

Verdict

From the above, the claim is false.