Chairman of Parliament’s Energy Committee, Emmanuel Bedzrah, has ruled out any chance of approving the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) proposal to sharply increase tariffs. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on September 9, Mr. Bedzrah said he would not endorse any submission from ECG under his leadership.
His strong stance follows ECG’s request to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) for a 225 per cent upward adjustment in its Distribution Service Charge. The company argues that the drastic increment is necessary to avoid financial collapse and ensure a stable supply of electricity across the country.
Mr. Bedzrah, however, described the proposal as unjustifiable, stressing that Parliament is already frustrated with the utility provider’s history of tariff increases. He recalled that the last adjustment of 17 per cent was met with criticism, particularly because ECG failed to consult adequately with stakeholders. “How can you increase the ECG tariff to 225%?” he asked.
Reflecting on his past views, the Energy Committee Chairman admitted that while he once supported higher tariff adjustments in his previous role as Ranking Member for Works and Housing and Water Resources, his perspective has changed. He explained that listening to the PURC, ECG, and related institutions has convinced him that such hikes are unreasonable.
His comments come as PURC continues consultations with stakeholders on tariff proposals, not only from ECG but also from the Ghana Water Company Limited, which is pushing for a 280 per cent increase, citing pollution and the impact of illegal mining.
