Consumers of water and electricity have asked the utility companies to significantly reduce the percentage they are demanding with regard to the upward adjustment in tariff. The consumers said the increase in utility tariffs is too high.
The ECG is demanding a 148% increase in tariff. A proposal from the power distributor, submitted to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), wants the adjustment to cover the period 2019 and 2022. It also proposed an average increase of 7.6% in tariff over the next four years to cover Distribution Service Charges (DSC). The Ghana Water Company Limited is also demanding a 334% increase in tariff. The GWCL in its proposal said over the years, the approved tariffs have not been fully cost-reflective.
According to the consumers, they do not agree that the increase in utility tariff is commensurate with the services rendered. The consumers expressed these concerns at a public forum organised by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC). The PURC is engaging the public as part of the process to review the current tariffs.
Speaking at the engagement at the University of Ghana, a utility consumer lamented the frequent unexpected power outages without prior notice. “It is rather unfortunate the services ECG and other institutions are offering us are not helping us, because it seems you keep on increasing the prices, but we keep on experiencing poor performance,” he said.
According to him, although he is not against an increase, he believes that “it shouldn’t be too much whereby it will affect businesses.” He explained that his plea is because “a lot of people are finding it difficult even to pay the existing one.”
“All that I am saying is that they have to look at those who don’t have meters and then give them meters, whereby they will pay exactly what we consume, so it wouldn’t look as if those people are using power and water and not paying,” he stressed.
He urged utility providers to improve their services to facilitate an increase in their revenue to effectively run the institution.
Meanwhile, utility providers say their businesses are on the line and only an increase in tariffs would keep them in business.
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