Utility consumers in the northern region have urged the government to postpone the newly proposed tariffs by utility providers in the face of the economic hardship in the country.
The consumers have said the economic conditions in the country are not favorable and for that matter they cannot afford to pay the proposed tariff increment.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, PURC, organized this year’s stakeholder engagement on the submitted utility tariff proposals for the 2022-2027 Multi Tariff Review Period in Tamale on Tuesday (June 14, 2022) to elicit views of the Ghanaian public.
However, some of the participants during the open discussion session expressed varied opinions but largely opposed the idea of any tariff adjustment in the present situation in the country.
One of the participants who identified himself as a member of Ghana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) said the cost items in the country and the exchange rate and so at this point in time to come and talk of increasing tariffs of utilities will worsen the plight of citizens.
“And so to me, if you’re contemplating anything like that, kindly postpone it, let us see how we can swim through the troubling waters at this time; and when we get to a comfort zone then you comeback and let’s talk about this but for now talk about your losses and see how to recover that.”
Another participant said proposing increment of tariffs now in Ghana is a bad idea, asserting, “I think you’re not proposing to us; you’re telling us, you’re putting it to us that you have come into conclusion and you’re giving it to us.”
Either than that, he noted the best way was to solicit public views in order to build consensus on the percentage of increment before anything else but not determined the rate of increment before coming for public views.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr Ishmael Ackah, in an interview with Journalists gave an assurance that the commission will ensure balance situation for both consumers and utility providers.
“…Like the Chairman said: two ways, do we improve the service before we ask for more or we asked for more to improve the service? Most of the concerns including here have not been so much about the increment but the economic conditions and others that people are talking about but it has been the services the utilities are providing” he observed.
Dr Ackah said the proposals when made are investigated to ensure what is being passed to the consumer is prudent enough, adding you don’t go make some inefficient decisions or losses and because of that, you subject customers to pay unjustifiable tariffs.
“So we investigate to ensure that whatever we are passing on is fair to the consumer and the service providers. We want to have that balance between consumer interest and the utility interest because at the end of the day, utilities should be financially viable to serve us well but the consumer should be capable to pay and if we come out with a tariff that they can’t pay what happens? Dr Ackah queried.
