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The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has defended its tariff increment to the various utility providers. The commission on Monday approved a 59.2 percent increment for electricity and 67.2 percent for water.
The move raised public outcry while the opposition New Patriotic Party has described it as sheer wickedness and evil, asking the government to halt it. Other organizations including the Tema District Council of labor, the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry have also kicked against the increments. But Communications Director of the PURC, Nana Yaa Gyantua speaking to Citi News justified the decision saying it is in the best interest of consumers. Nana Yaa Gyantua explained that the commission “has sat for three weeks to arrive at this decision. This is the last scenario that was done and we arrived at this figure.”
She said the increment is is due to the new power generation facilities that have come on board including “Aboadze, Karpowership at Tema, IPP at Kpone among others” saying they are to be paid for “in terms of what electricity they are going to generate for us to sell to ECG for ECG to also give it to us.” Nana Yaa Gyantua insisted that “what should be of utmost importance to us is to ensure that gas at Atuabo runs very smoothly so that we don’t have any interruption in gas… The tariff standing on its own does not bring improvement. We have some plant and when they come on stream they have to be fueled and maintained.” she added.
