A pressure group, Arise Ghana, has called for the immediate suspension of utility tariff increment.

The group said the timing of the upward adjustment is bad. 

A leading member, Bernard Mornah speaking at a press conference on Thursday, August 18, insisted that the increment will worsen the plight of Ghanaians. 

According to him, due to the current economic downturn, such a review will be a disincentive to consumers.

He thus charged the utility service providers to find innovative means of raising revenue.

“One of the key things any rational government will do in trying to resolve the current economic crisis will be to find innovative ways of shoring up domestic revenue generation.”

“A straight-jacket increment in utility tariffs would not cut it. It would rather be a disincentive to consumers. Consumers would default and this would plunge the country deeper into the debt crisis,” Mr. Mornah said.

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 announced it earlier in the week.