Disbursing Emergency Relief through Utilities: Evidence from Ghana

In the context of a programme to distribute relief through the electric utility in Accra, using data from households surveyed during the COVID-19 crisis

• From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
• Published: 31 May 2021

• Country: Ghana
• Document Type: Working Paper
• Theme: Infrastructure
• Authors: Berkouwer, S.B., Biscaye, P.E., Puller, S.L., Wolfram, C

Abstract

Government transfer programs to distribute food, water, or electricity at low or no cost have been widespread during the COVID-19 global health crisis. How does program design affect the efficiency and distributional implications of these policies? And what design features determine their political popularity? We study these questions in the context of a program to distribute relief through the electric utility in Accra, Ghana, using data from 1,200 households surveyed during the COVID-19 crisis.

This research is part of the Energy and Economic Growth Applied Research Programme.

Citation

Disbursing Emergency Relief through Utilities: Evidence from Ghana Susanna B. Berkouwer, Pierre E. Biscaye, Steven L. Puller, and Catherine Wolfram NBER Working Paper No. 28818. May 2021

Link

Disbursing Emergency Relief through Utilities: Evidence from Ghana

Published 31 May 2021