Some water and electricity consumers say the increase in utility tariffs will worsen their conditions of living and destabilise their businesses.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on Monday announced a 21.55 percent and 27.15 percent increase in water and electricity tariffs respectively effective September 1.

Some consumers who spoke to JoyNews said they will be worse off with this latest increment.

“I am an old lady and I depend on my children, so when they give me 500cedis at the end of the month and I subtract these utility bills, the money is finished,” a citizen said.

Another added, “People are parking their cars because of the high cost of living and they are adding this too. So you can imagine the burden individual households have to bear.”

For business owners, they lamented that the increase will affect how they transact their business.

“Business is already slow so this increment is too much for us,” a businessman said.

Meanwhile, the Electricity Company of Ghana says the increase of 27.15% is not enough.

External Communications Manager, Charles Nii Ayiku, explained that the company requested for 148 percent increase, but it is willing to accept what the PURC has approved.