• Live Radio
  • Videos
  • About
  • Contact
  • Despite Media
Ghana Election 2020
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Politics
  • Showbiz
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • VIDEOS
  • Media
    • Videos
    • Audio
    • Live Radio
    • Photos
  • Election 2020
Local News
 
 
 
Home News General News 201306

"Throw Away" Proposal For Tariff Increment Or Else,...

13-Jun-2013
/ General News, News
Email
Print
Comments 0
(0)
Comments
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
 

Political-pressure group, the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), has urged the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to discard the proposal for tariff increase put forward by service providers warning that any "mistake of approving the proposed increases" will result in the wrath of Ghanaians being unleashed on them.

The group, in a statement issued today, pointed out that "Ghanaians deserve to know the financial basis giving rise to the said percentage proposals" and called on the entire private sector to openly voice out their abhorrence of the proposal.

"We also call on the AGI, GEA, TUC and the entire private sector to condemn this proposal.

Furthermore, they should join forces and go beyond condemnation and prepare to hit the streets or use any other means within their reach to prevent this absurd proposal from seeing the light of day. They owe their membership this much," AFAG said.


Read below the statement issued by AFAG

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) is alarmed at the proposed increase in tariffs by the service providers.

We are appalled at the nearly 150% increase in electricity tariffs tabled before the PURC. Did the providers consider the implication of this absurd proposal on industry, SMEs and the larger economy as a whole? The utility providers should bear in mind that, Ghanaians do not have the capacity at this time to absorb the shocks of this proposed increment. Neither is the economy.

It is wicked and insensitive against the background that, Ghanaians are yet to recover from the shock of the recent petroleum and LPG price hikes.

It would be recalled that, in 2010, AFAG embarked on a demonstration in Kumasi against similar price hikes. At that, time, if our arguments cutting waste and checking corruption was heeded to, we would not be looking at the massive hikes proposed by the utility services.

As usual, they opted for the easy way of increasing prices while the entrenched and endemic waste remained.

AFAG stands by Ghanaians against this proposal.

This increment if accepted would force over three hundred (300) medium and small scale businesses to fold. Along with this would be the large number of people who would lose their jobs. Considering the large unemployment rate in the country, no institution should consider making a decision which would exacerbate this precarious situation.

Furthermore, large increases would raise the cost of doing business and would eventually, dampen investor confidence at a time, the nation is working hard to get people to invest in the economy. It is our analysis that, this proposed tariff increase would affect productivity and consequently, slow down the economy. Badly needed revenue for development would also be affected.

The utility providers have become like ‘spoilt children’ who always ask for more but consistently fails to deliver results. This is not the first time such demands are being made on consumers. In a situation where increase in tariffs does not lead to improvement in service delivery, it is difficult to justify this outrageous proposal from the utility providers.

The ECG and GRIDCO have constantly been wasting over 21% of electricity through distribution negligence and gross incompetence.

What is being done to reduce this waste? Additionally, the utility providers instead of picking the easy way of tariff increases should be effective in collecting the huge arrears owned to them by the government and the public. They should also check illegal connections and meter tempering, which we gather is being ‘supported’ by their own technicians.

OUR RESOLUTION

1. The proposed increment is not justified under any financial model that AFAG has come across. If there is any, we challenge the utility providers to publish such a model

2. The government with no intention of increasing salary to cushion workers, it is difficult for AFAG to side with this increment.

3. From history, we reckon that, the private sector is likely to lay workers off to stay afloat. In such a situation, workers are likely to suffer. This is more precarious when the government has crippled the economy through waste and phantom expenditures.

4. Cutting waste in transmission and distribution should be the first priority of the service providers

CONCLUSION

AFAG totally rejects the leaked proposal to the PURC. We also call on the AGI, GEA, TUC and the entire private sector to condemn this proposal.

Furthermore, they should join forces and go beyond condemnation and prepare to hit the streets or use any other means within their reach to prevent this absurd proposal from seeing the light of day. They owe their membership this much.

Once again, we reiterate our opposition to the proposal and urge the PURC to ‘throw away’ the proposal and should not make a mistake of approving the proposed increases else they would meet the wrath of Ghanaians and AFAG. Ghanaians deserve to know the financial basis giving rise to the said percentage proposals.

God Bless Mother Ghana


SIGNED


HENRY ASANTE

ABU RAMADAN

HON. APIETU ANKRAH

MUTALAH MOHAMED

OPOKU DAVIS

ARNOLD BOATENG

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

 

 
 

 

Comments ( 0 ): Post Your Comments >>

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
Featured Video
Previous Post

Live Human Beings Are Cheaper Than Dead Ones...Human Parts Dealer Bares It All

Next Post

GAMBIA: Tracking Teachers’ Attendance In Schools; Rlg Phones To The Rescue

 
 

More Stories

Missing Twin Saga: Go To Court If Not Satisfied - 37 Military Hospital Tells Couple
Gold For Oil Programme: All You Need To Know
Nigeria Election 2023: Who Are The Presidential Candidates?
2,300 Desks For Northern Region Basic Schools
Upper Manya Krobo: Constituency With Untapped Potential
The Catholic Pilgrims Who Walked Nine Days To See Pope Francis
Elon Musk Found Not Guilty Of Fraud Over Tesla Tweet
President Buhari Vows To Tackle Nigeria's Cash Crunch
Two Dozen Rescued From Abuja Building Collapse
Next Post

GAMBIA: Tracking Teachers’ Attendance In Schools; Rlg Phones To The Rescue

  Local News

  • General News
  • Social
  • Health
  • Education
  • Religion
  • Technology
  • Crime & Justice
  • Travel/Tourism
  • Science/Environment


 
 

 

Other General News Stories

  • Missing Twin Saga: Go To Court If Not Satisfied - 37 Military Hospital Tells Couple

  • Gold For Oil Programme: All You Need To Know

  • Nigeria Election 2023: Who Are The Presidential Candidates?

  • 2,300 Desks For Northern Region Basic Schools

  • Upper Manya Krobo: Constituency With Untapped Potential

  • The Catholic Pilgrims Who Walked Nine Days To See Pope Francis

  • Elon Musk Found Not Guilty Of Fraud Over Tesla Tweet

  • President Buhari Vows To Tackle Nigeria's Cash Crunch

  • Two Dozen Rescued From Abuja Building Collapse

  • Sankara To Be Reburied Later This Month

 

 
 

Popular Videos

Peace Power Sports (1/02/2023)

Kokrokoo Live On Peace 104.3 FM (1/02/2023)

Kokrokoo Discussion Segment On Peace 104.3 FM (1/02/2023)

Kokrokoo Discussion Segment On Peace 104.3 FM (2/02/2023)

Peace Power Sports (3/02/2023)

Kokrokoo Discussion Segment On Peace 104.3 FM (3/02/2023)

Peace FM Online and Despite Media

peacefmonline.com offers its reading audience with a comprehensive online source for up-to-the-minute news about politics, business, entertainment and other issues in Ghana

Follow us on social media:

Category

  • Home
  • Local News
  • Politics
  • Showbiz
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Trivia
  • Foreign
  • Audio
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Elections
Decision Time
Ghana Election 2020 2016 Elections
Services
Live Radio Audio on Demand Ghana Elections Advertise with Us
Useful Links
Despite Media About Us Contact Us Feedback Form Terms and Conditions Privacy
Our Brands
Despite Media UTV Peace FM Okay FM Hello FM Neat FM Peacefmonline
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2020 Peacefmonline.com - An online portal owned and managed by Despite Media

  • Home
  • Local News
  • Politics
  • Showbiz
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Articles
  • Trivia
  • Foreign
  • Live Radio
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Audio
  • Election 2020

© 2020 Peacefmonline.com - An online portal owned and managed by Despite Media