Request For Tariff Increment: Ghanaians Should Be Realistic - Felix Ofosu Kwakye

A member of the Communication team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has asked Ghanaians to be realistic about the demands being made by the Volta River Authority (VRA). According to him, the only way VRA will be able to improve on its efficiency is for money to be invested. He said it will not be advisable to tackle the issue on a partisan way; �otherwise, we will just be going in circles without tackling the real issues�. This argument comes on the heels of demands being made by VRA for an upward adjustment of electricity tariffs to increase the company�s finances. It said to ensure sustainability of its operations, �it is imperative for the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to stick to regular tariff adjustments to reflect cost of generation�. Speaking to Randy Abbey on Friday during Metro TV�s Good Morning Ghana, Felix Kwakye Ofosu opined: �How does VRA improve upon its efficiency? They would require money to invest in new equipment that can work in a more efficient manner for them to able to produce electricity at a rate that is more affordable to the consumer. Where are they going to get the money for the new equipment if the tariffs now are not right?� he questioned. Many have argued that instead of VRA demanding for an increment on utility tariffs, they should rather insist that Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as well as government of Ghana be made to pay the huge debts owed as far as electricity bills are concerned. However, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu is of the view that demanding for the payment of the money owed by these entities will not solve the woes of VRA. �The fact that VRA is owed some debts by some major companies in the country does not mean that their problems will be resolved immediately those debts are paid. Let us not be quick in the face of the current challenges that we are having to dismiss the need to look critically at the demands being made by Volta river authority because they have made this demands before; in the past we have not met them because of this same argument. We have argued about efficiency and the need to bring in independent power producers and not tackle the real issue and so two, three years down the line, we come back to the same issue. Let us tackle it once and for all; and that will also require a bi-partisan approach��