The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Ishmael Ackah has justified the decision by the Commission to increase electricity tariffs.
According to Dr Ackah, the increase in tariffs was necessary to enable electricity provider the Electricity Company of Ghana to run efficiently and prevent financial issues that might trigger another round of load shedding, or ‘dumsor’.
Dr. Ackah told Class News’ Elisha Adarkwah on the sideline of the consumer service clinic held in Kumasi today, Friday, 2 September 2022, that the utility companies would have found it difficult to operate in the future if the tariffs were not increased.
The Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana Water Company, he said were running at a loss because of the exchange rate.
Dr Ackah petitioned the public to bear with the companies and pay the new tariffs to continue receiving the best service available.
PURC Increases tariffs
The PURC announced Monday, August 15th that the prices of electricity and water tariffs would increase.
Electricity tariffs are to go up by 27.15% whilst water is also to increase by 21.55%, effective September 1st.
“In balancing the interests of service providers and consumers, the PURC acknowledged that the very economic variables that have occasioned the steep increases proposed by the service providers also affect consumers.
“The commission admitted, however, that some level of increases in utility tariffs were inevitable if the nation was to avoid another dumsor and its attendant effects including job losses,” PURC Executive secretary Ishmael Ackah said.
He added: “The Commission therefore decided to increase the average end-user tariff for electricity by 27.15% and water by 21.55% effective 1st September, 2022.
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com
