Minority pushes reversal of electricity, water tariffs

Ghana’s Minority Caucus in Parliament on Monday called on the government to halt and reverse the recent water and electricity tariff hikes, warning that the increases threaten households and businesses already grappling with rising living costs.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Energy Committee George Kwame Aboagye said the hikes amount to an \”unacceptable shock\” for Ghanaians and pledged that the Minority will use every parliamentary tool to challenge the decision.

Aboagye stressed that the Caucus’s stance is \”definitive and non‑negotiable,\” describing the tariff adjustments – roughly nine percent for electricity and over fifteen percent for water – as an act of exploitation rather than responsible governance.

He noted that the combined increase of about twenty‑four percent erodes the nominal nine‑percent rise in the 2026 minimum wage, leaving workers with diminished purchasing power.

\”Our position remains firm and non‑negotiable. These tariff hikes must be reversed immediately and measures must be taken to protect consumers and sustain businesses,\” Aboagye said.

The Minority plans to move motions, table urgent questions and possibly request a special debate to scrutinise the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission’s (PURC) justification for the hikes.

Small‑scale traders and manufacturers are among those most affected, as higher commercial rates raise operating costs and threaten job retention amid high interest rates and volatile inflation.

\”Ghanaians deserve relief, not repeated shocks. They deserve leadership, not exploitation, and we as a minority caucus will continue to hold this government accountable and defend the rights of the people,\” Aboagye added.

The opposition’s mobilisation comes as the ruling administration faces growing criticism over its handling of utility pricing, a sector that fuels daily life and economic activity across the country.

Monitoring bodies and civil society groups are expected to weigh in, while the Parliament’s deliberations will determine whether the tariff increases stand or are rolled back.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE