<<Print>>

The Convention People's Party (CPP) has stated that the new utility tariffs announced by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) last week are meant to victimize the poor in society.

The CPP noted that, “it is unacceptable in a democracy aiming at good governance to repay and victimise poor and law abiding citizens who pay their bills with irresponsible conduct.”

The party in a press statement signed by its General Secretary, Nii Armah Akomfrah said the “Good people of Ghana; you have remained silent for too long. Your tolerance has been misconstrued for too long and governments for more than two decades have taken you for granted; they have humiliated you, harassed you and exploited you to enrich themselves and their cronies.”

The CPP further called on “Ghanaians, businesses and firms to reject and refuse payment of any new tariffs until the government pays its debt to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Volta River Authority (VRA), and Ghana Water Company.”

The CPP said government had failed to solve the power crisis leading to the collapse of businesses and industries, rising unemployment as well as investors leaving the country and relocating to neighbouring countries.

Mr. Akomfrah noted that the increases amount to government passing on its debts to the public and “this is certainly not acceptable in a nation where unaccountability, unemployment and unprecedented hardship burden the population.

According to him, government has shown financial irresponsibility in the management of national assets and investments and thus should accept responsibility for the gradual financial collapse of the companies due to its indebtedness.

The General Secretary further described the increases by the PURC as a shock to Ghanaians, coupled with disappointment and heartbreak at Christmas.

“The Convention People's Party (CPP) shares in the disappointment and is alarmed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government's manipulation and lampooning of state institutions meant to be independent and to protect the interest of all Ghanaians,” he noted.

Mr. Akomfrah said his party is against the 59.2% and 67.2% increases in electricity and water tariffs respectively.

Wicked agenda

He stated that the increases are the “wicked agenda of the government, an impoverishing agenda and confirms the failure of the NDC government to transform our economy and the lives of the people of Ghana.”

He explained that the NDC government and its agencies owe ECG and Ghana Water Company huge sums which are crippling the effective operations of these companies.

“The government must honour its debt obligations to these utility providers including GRIDCo and VRA with immediate effect. Ghanaians should not have to pay extra bills to cover government incompetence and failure,” he stressed.