Former Director of Public Relations and External Affairs of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Nana Yaa Jantuah, has questioned the timing for tariff increase.
In her view, given the socio-economic conditions in the country, the increment will only exacerbate the plight of Ghanaians.
PURC on Monday, August 15, 2022, announced new tariffs for electricity and water.
Utility consumers will pay 27.15 percent for electricity and 21.55 percent for water effective September 1, 2022.
This has generated a lot of public debate with the Minority in Parliament accusing government of being insensitive.
Ranking Member on Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor, said the increase will also “worsen the plight of the already impoverished Ghanaian.”
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, madam Jantuah said government should have considered the current economic challenges before the tariff increase.
She indicated that, though government has offered lifeline to small and medium scale businesses, it could have done better.
“I know the lifeline was 50% and now it has been reduced to 30% so PURC must tell us why the reduction,” she stressed.
The former PURC PRO, who is now General Secretary of the Convention People’s Party, said her interest is to ensure consumers are given value for money.
She charged government to cushion Ghanaians in the wake of the tariff increase to enable them make ends meet.
She also urged utility service providers, especially the Electricity Company of Ghana to ensure consumers get value for money from the power consumed.