Utility tariff increases: Absorb difference - CPP to govt

The Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP) has appealed to the government to absorb the current electricity tariff increase by providing the utility providers with the needed financial support for them to run their operations smoothly until such a time that the current dwindling and harsh economic situation is solved.

The party also recommended that the government should use the proceeds accrued from the COVID-19 levy to pay for the free water and electricity provided during the height of the pandemic to cushion consumers, since the tax system has not been scrapped.

The party made the suggestion in a statement issued and signed by the CPP’s General Secretary, Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah.

The statement also called on the public to reject the current electricity tariff increase of 27.15 per cent and the 21.55 per cent for water.

That, the party said, was because people could not add on the burden of a tariff increase in electricity and water in the face of a constantly rising cost of living.

It said Ghanaians could not bear the increment, following eroding of household incomes coupled with the effect of high transport fares, rise in food prices, hikes in the prices of fuel and other commodities.

Transparency

“The CPP believes the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) tariff was laden with political suspicion and interference from the government because it did not reflect the level of the contingent parameters of inflation, cedi-dollar ratio, the price of fuel (gas and crude oil) and the generation mix,” the statement said.

“Indeed, the PURC has a lot of questions to answer and Ghanaians need answers now, before we find ourselves in an unfortunate situation,” it added.

It urged the PURC to provide in the electricity utilities bill, the actual individual tariffs, as in the Distribution Service Charge (DSC) (ECG, Nedco and enclave power), the transmission service charge for Gridco and the tariff for the generation companies.

“This will give consumers the opportunity to know the real figures they are dealing with. To present us with a composite end user tariff does not show transparency,” the statement said.