PURC: No Increase In Utility Tariffs�Not Yet

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has denied media reports that there is an imminent increment in Utility Tariffs. The New Statesman newspaper reported that a meeting held between the PURC and Trades Union Congress (TUC) indicated that Ghanaians are likely to pay more for electricity tariffs within the next quarter of the year unless the TUC or the Mills� administration intervenes. The Paper reported that the increases are expected to be pegged between 50 percent and 80 percent. Speaking however in an interview with Peace FM News, the Director of Public Affairs of the PURC, Nana Yaa Jantuah explained the commission is still meeting with stakeholders and the TUC over the issue. According to her, even though per the automatic adjustment formula, utility tariffs are reviewed every three months; it does not necessarily mean the tariffs will be reviewed upwards as indicated by the newspaper report. �We have not announced any increment, what happened is, we have automatic adjustment formula which means that changes are made to tariffs on water and electricity every three months. In the first quarter, we did reduced tariffs and in the second quarter, we tried increasing it but the shareholders rose against it because they claim ECG and Ghana Water is not doing enough to warrant an increase. We are in the third quarter and we are still deliberating and negotiating the adjustment with the key stakeholders,� she explained. She emphatically stated that the negotiating process was still ongoing and since no conclusions have been reached as yet, there cannot be any adjustment on utility tariffs.