Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has descended heavily on the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and allied agencies for introducing “incredibly outrageous rates” that have the potential of crippling the economy further.
According to him, businesses and industries – most of which are under his ministry – are hardest hit by the tariff reviews and so it would have been appropriate for the Commission to invite a representative from the ministry for the review talks.
“At no point have we ever been called to also come before the PURC or any other public agency that wishes to revise its rates to discuss the basis of which the rates are being revised and the potential impact it will have on the broad economy.”
Dr Spio-Garbrah expressed these sentiments on the sidelines of a forum held in the Volta Region capital of Ho.
He questioned the timing and the thinking that went into the implementation of the review.
“First month in an election year and you wonder if utility rates have to go up by 150 per cent. Why didn’t it go up by 20 per cent two, three years ago, 30 per cent last year and maybe 40 per cent this year to more or less achieve the same objective?” he wondered.
“Why have some of these institutions waited till election year and all of a sudden you hear incredibly outrageous rates…all the way to ordinary water that human beings drink?”
He lent support to his ministry’s allied agencies such as the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Gana Chamber of Commerce and Industries to seek explanations over the tariffs.
According to him, the development has a potential of killing export drives which could have far-reaching consequences for the economy.
“Are they trying to raise revenue for a particular purpose? What is the objective?”