[ 2014-10-01 ]

OccupyGhana Shocked At Tariff Increments
Anti Government pressure group, Occupy Ghana has
expressed utmost shock at the tariff increments
approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory
Commission.

The PURC announced this afternoon the increases of
6.54 percent for electricity with the prices of
water going up by 4.54 percent.

However, because of the poor quality of water
service delivery being meted out by the Ghana
Water Company, the Commission has decided not to
pass on the Tariff for water until the challenges
are fixed.

The last time the PURC adjusted utility tariffs
was in July this year.

Electricity tariffs went up by 6.1 percent while
water tariffs were increased by 12 percent.

According to a statement issued and signed by
Chairman of the Commission, Dr Emmanuel K. Annan,
“the increases have been necessitated due to the
shift to crude oil for generation of power
occasioned by erratic gas supply from Nigeria. The
Commission also in its deliberations considered
the current inadequate electricity supply
situation which has resulted in load shedding in
the country and its impact on Consumers and
Customers of Electricity and water.”

But Occupy Ghana has rejected this justification
for an increment as it doesn’t match a wage
increase.

“This is really frustrating, it comes as a rude
shock to me, in that we have a situation where
electricity tariffs are being increased yet the
minimum wage is still constant, you are telling me
to pay more for electricity and water which I’m
not getting on a daily basis, yet the money you
are paying me for turning up to work daily is not
increasing” he lamented.

Speaking in an interview with Live News’ Ekow
Annan, Convener of the group, Nana Akwasi Awuah
said this upward adjustment goes once more to
confirm the NDC government’s insensitivity to
the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.

“What government is telling us is that, we
don’t care, whether you can pay or not is up to
you....there’s the need to revisit the
increment,” he added.

These increases in tariffs though marginal are set
to annoy many as Ghanaians have for more than one
year now been enduring, power and water
rationing.

Many have expressed frustrations at the
development, but the managers of the power systems
say there is little they can do under the
circumstances and reiterated the PURC’s
commitment to protecting the interest of
consumers.

“The Commission wishes to restate its commitment
to ensuring the highest standards of Utility
Service Delivery to all customers and consumers of
Electricity and Water.

The PURC is mandated to protect the interest of
the consumer and ensure the financial viability of
the Utility Service Provider.”

Source - Live FM

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