Your Demand Is "Sickening"; We'll Resist It With All Our Strength! - NPP MP Warns GWCL

Sylvester Tetteh, Member of Parliament(MP) for Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro, has warned the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) not to accept the proposed tariff increment by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) or face public wrath.

Speaking to host Nana Yaw Kesseh on "Kokrokoo" morning show on Peace FM, Hon. Sylvester Tetteh stated categorically that he will join the many people of Ghana to vehemently resist GWCL's demand for 334 percent increase in water prices.

This sharp increase requested by GWCL is premised on the company recovering its cost of water production as it indicates there have been no increases in tariffs for the past three years.

To Hon. Sylvester Tetteh, the company's demand is insensible and shouldn't be considered by the regulatory body.

"They should tell us, does it make sense? It doesn't make sense. What is the justification for 300 and more percentage increase for water? So, in three years, inflation has gone up to over 300 percent. Is that what they are telling us?" he questioned.

He continued; "You know what water does to this country? It is not because my government is in power, we will resist it with every strength in us...It's distasteful to even say this to the good people of this country that this is what you are considering. The consideration itself is sick. It's sickening to say the least...There are people in this country who don't get water and you are coming to use this as decoy just to increase the tariffs."

"The proposal itself before PURC is sickening to say the least. Today, people don't get water. It's bringing diseases and so forth and we are looking at means to extend water to people. Water is life! We know that the cost of treatment has hiked up but not 300 plus percentage points," he added.

The MP further warned that the Ghana Water Company "cannot pass on the waste to the ordinary Ghanaians who are paying their bills every month".