Electricity and water tariffs increased: Ghanaians to pay more

Electricity and water tariffs increased by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Ghana Water Company (GWC). The increased tariffs took effect on September 28, 2024.

According to reliable information available to GlobalCurrent24, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced a 3.02% increase in electricity tariffs and a 1.86% increase in water tariffs for the third quarter of 2024, effective October 1.

PURC has justified the increases in electricity and water tariffs. External factors such as exchange rate instability, inflation, and the increase in gas prices were cited as reasons for the price hike.

Can Ghanaians afford the electricity and water tariffs increased?

According to GUTA, the increased utility tariff hikes will worsen the already high cost of living for Ghanaians. The Public Relations Officer for GUTA, Joseph Paddy, bemoaned that the increase would worsen Ghanaians’ standards of living.

“The new tariff is not justifyable. The new tariff results from rising gas prices, rising interest rates, and rising exchange rates. Who caused the exchange rate to go up? And that’s what the fiscal committee has been complaining about—the system’s instability.

“So they should come again; otherwise, it is going to make the cost of living in the country extremely difficult for Ghanaians and very high.

Ghanaians are already complaining about the high cost of living in the country. Furthermore, we are implementing this increase at a critical juncture. The timing itself presents a challenge.

READ: Planned demo against Galamsey: Organised Labour to meet on Tuesday

In a related development, experts are warning Ghana about the devastating long-term effects of Galamsey. They say that while the cost of treating water for Ghanaian homes has increased, Ghana may soon have to import water for drinking and other uses if the government does not step up efforts to fight the illegal mining that is destroying water bodies, among other things.

This could further increase water tariffs in the near future due to the increased cost of treatment, which will be associated with illegal mining activities in and near water bodies.