The Private Enterprise Foundation is questioning the independence of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission in the recent review of utility tariffs. The head of the Commission, Dr. Emmanuel Annan recently announced increases to take effect in June this year, but the announcement has been greeted with mass protests and agitation. The latest to come with its criticism is the PEF which claims the review appears to have been unduly influenced by government and not the outcome of independent analysis by the regulator. The Executive Director of PEF, Dr. Osei Boeh-Ocansey who was speaking to Joy Business after an emergency meeting by its council over the recent adjustments said recent pronouncements by members of government are a testament that the PURC was unduly influenced by government to take the decisions it took. “If for the first time we have the chairman of the PURC coming out to make a statement of this nature we should have allowed him to complete it. “We didn’t think that governement members needed to come in and defend the PURC. Does it mean it is the government that is doing it. "The time has come that we must do these things clearly in this country. People who are given jobs must be allowed to do their jobs,” he said. PEF’s reaction to the tariff hike is the strongest yet from the private sector though the foundation represents a collection of various bodies some of whom have already declared their position on the matter. Amongst its members include the Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ghana Chamber of Mines and the Ghana Association of Bankers. Source: Joy Business/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana