Utility tariffs go up

The Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission has reviewed upwards, electricity and water tariffs. The cost of electricity has gone up by 6.54 percent while that of water has been increased by 4.54 percent. The Ghana Water Company will, however, not be able to charge the new rates until certain challenges are fixed. The PURC says the marginal increases have been necessitated by the shift to crude oil for generation of power occasioned by erratic gas supply from Nigeria. Public Affairs Director of the PURC, Nana Yaa Gyantuah, said the Commission recognized that electricity consumers, for instance, are spending money on alternative sources of energy anyway, which costs them more. The last time the PURC adjusted utility tariffs was July this year. Electricity tariffs went up by 6.1 percent while water tariffs were increased by 12 percent. Ghanaians have for more than one year now been enduring, power and water rationing.  Many have expressed frustrations at the development, but the managers of the power systems say there is little they can do under the circumstances. These increases in tariffs though marginal are set to annoy many. The Public affairs Director also attributed the increase in tariffs to exchange rate and the Nigeria situation. Meanwhile, head of Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Kofi Kapito has asked Ghanaians not to accept the increase in tariffs by the PURC since what he described as unreasonable.

Source:Myjoyonline.com