The Greater Accra Regional branch of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), has expressed its disappointment with the upward review of utility tariffs. 

The Chairman of the branch, Mr. Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo said the new tariffs will hamper growth of businesses. 

Tariffs for electricity and water are expected to go up by 27.15% and 21.55% respectively.

The new tariffs take effect from September 1, 2022 and will extend to 2025.

The PURC in announcing the new tariffs acknowledged the economic difficulties faced by consumers but said without these tariff increases, the utility providers may not meet their mandate. 

According to Mr. Akpeloo, the timing of the adjustment is worrying and will worsen the plights of local industries.

Mr. Akpeloo called for ways to reduce costs in the production process in the country which he said include utility.

He added that electricity constitutes 30% of the entire production cost.

“An increase in such a significant item will affect the cost of the production process. If the cost of production continues to go up, there is very little we can do to push the cost to the producer,” he said.

“Yes they might have been holding on for a long time, but our tariffs are not cheap. Ghana is one of the high-paying countries of utility tariffs in Africa”.

“A country that apparently imports everything including newspapers makes it very difficult for local industries to thrive, thus the increment of tariffs would compound the woes of the industries.”

He made the comments in an interview on Citi FM on Tuesday, August 16.