AFAG Slams Mahama Over New Water, Electricity Tariffs

Political pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG,) has expressed disquiet about the announcement by the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC) on the increment in utility tariffs. The tariff increment, which took effect yesterday by the Automatic Adjustment Formula (AAF,) pegged that of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) at 6.54% and Ghana Water Company (GWC) at 4.54% According to AFAG, the increment was a �slap on the face of Ghanaians.� �In the midst of the current economic hardships triggered by excessive corruption vis-a-vis the inability of the utility companies to justify the relevance of previous price increases, we consider this latest increase in utility tariffs an exercise of bad faith,� AFAG pointed out. In a press statement issued yesterday and copied to Today in Accra, the group also took a swipe at the managers of the economy for worsening the plight of Ghanaians. The statement catalogued a number of �dubious judgment debts� that were paid to some individuals and companies. For instance, the statement mentioned GYEEDA, Woyome, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Kwadwo Adu Asare, rent scandals among other corrupt scandals that had rocked the nation. ��Mr. President, these are but a few of the itemised list of corrupt practices. The full list will be made available soon to Ghanaians. Be it as it may, your indecision has cost Ghana a great deal,� the statement asserted. The PURC, according to AFAG, had no justification for the recent hikes, arguing that there had not been any better service by ECG and GWC to Ghanaians. The statement therefore could not understand reasons given by the PURC for the increment. �Currently, we hear the cedi is appreciating against the dollar, inflation is stable at 15.9% and the world market prices of crude oil have not increased and less than 100 USD per barrel (far lesser than the oil shocks of 2008 where prices soared to over $140/bbl,)� the statement disclosed. It also added that �dumsor� has become �dumkoraa� �and this is inexcusable,� the statement affirmed. The attempt to increase utilities tariffs, the statement further noted, will cause a general increase in prices of goods and worsen the already deplorable economic status of the Ghanaian. AFAG therefore blamed the development on poor management of the economy by the Mahama administration.