Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused the Mahama-led administration of burdening Ghanaians with steep electricity tariff hikes, claiming that power charges have increased by 18.4% since January 2025.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, November 25, during debate on the repeal of the COVID-19 levy, Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that the government’s attempt to portray the repeal as relief for citizens was misleading.

“Mr Speaker, this year alone, the ordinary Ghanaian who uses electricity has been burdened with a total of 18.4% electricity tariffs alone. This is the total tariff you’ve imposed on the ordinary Ghanaian,” he said.

He criticised the government for touting the scrapping of the levy while simultaneously increasing utility costs.

“So you don’t turn around and create the impression that this is a COVID levy the ordinary businessman was paying, so you are taking it away as if you care. You don’t.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin contrasted the 2025 tariff hikes with reductions introduced under the Akufo-Addo administration in 2018, when the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) cut electricity tariffs for households by 18% and for corporate consumers by up to 30%.

“In 2018, the Akufo-Addo government, through PURC, announced a total tariff adjustment, and in this case, it was a reduced tariff adjustment ranging from 18% to 30%. Households enjoyed 18%, corporates enjoyed up to 30%. This was the status quo,” he noted.

He insisted that the 2025 increases contradict the current administration’s pledge to ease the cost of living.

“When you came into office this year, you increased electricity tariffs up to 18.4%. If you care about the ordinary Ghanaian, why did you impose the tariffs?” he questioned.