The Minority in Parliament, African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) and Integrated Social Development Center (ISODEC) have criticized the president after he announced a reduction in electricity tariff.
Representatives of the three institutions say president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s action amounts to a needless interference of the functions of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), which is charged with the responsibility of tariff adjustment.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story Tuesday, Minority Spokesperson on energy, Adam Mutawakilu said the president’s announcement undermines the independence of the PURC.
Adam Mutawakilu
Dr Steve Manteaw
While the announcement has been welcomed by sections of Ghanaians, the Minority, ACEP and ISODEC have questioned the approach.
ISODEC Campaign Coordinator, Dr Steve Manteaw told Joy News’ Evans Mensah the president played “politics” with the tariff adjustment.
“As a consumer, I am excited that I am going to get some relief but as a governance expert I will describe this development as unfortunate particularly as it undermines PURC,” he said.
The utility regulator is scheduled to meet with stakeholders on January 30 following government’s tariff reduction recommendation submitted in November last year.
Dr Manteaw has questioned why president Akufo-Addo will go behind the PURC to announce the reduction when the recommendation was yet to be considered.
“We want to act in a manner that we don’t create the impression that the government has taken control of tariff adjustment,” he said.
Benjamin Boakye
On his part, Executive Director of the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Benjamin Boakye said much as the Centre agrees that the government is a major stakeholder, it does not support its constant interference with the PURC work.
“We see the consistent announcement of tariff reduction as [undermining] the independence of the regulator,” he said.
Mr Boakye has asked the government to allow the Commission take its decision based on “what is possible.”
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