Navigating electricity infrastructure access in Africa: An analysis of the politics of rural electrification programmes in Tolon District, Ghana

Abstract

Access to electricity infrastructure has been highlighted as a catalyst for socioeconomic development in Africa. Despite growing political demand for community connection, academic scholarship has given it limited attention. Using a concurrent mixed-methods approach, this paper explored the political drivers of rural electricity demand in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana. Political visits and campaign periods were found to be the most reliable platforms for rural communities’ demands. Partisan and other political factors are key drivers of this demand. To address this, the capacities of decentralised institutions like the DA should be built alongside the Ministry of Energy, focusing on RE policymaking while decentralising planning and connection to the DA. This can reduce centralisation and politicisation by enhancing grassroots participation, promoting the reliability of decentralised institutions. Additionally, RE infrastructure programmes should focus on socio-economic and institutional aspects to be responsive to rural communities’ diverse expectations.