 has launched a blistering attack on the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) following the announcement of new utility tariff hikes set to take effect from May 3, 2025.){kind=link}
The Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) has launched a blistering attack on the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) following the announcement of new utility tariff hikes set to take effect from May 3, 2025.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its General Secretary, Alpha A. Shaban, GUTA described the increases—14.75% for electricity and 4.02% for water—as “unjustified” and “disconnected from the economic realities” currently confronting Ghanaian businesses and households.
“We appreciate the fact that life is not static, and changes are inevitable when necessary—but not at the whim of any particular body,” the statement read. “The reasons provided by PURC do not hold water.”
GUTA accused the PURC of overlooking deep-rooted structural inefficiencies in the utility sector that have contributed to rising costs and poor service delivery. The group cited inflated procurement costs, weak debt recovery systems—particularly from government institutions—and widespread illegal connections as key issues that continue to burden consumers.
The traders’ association further criticized the PURC for what it called a failure to effectively monitor and evaluate the operations of utility service providers, arguing that public funds are being mismanaged and “funnelled into private pockets” due to lax oversight.
“There is a failure… to ensure value for money and protect the public purse against corruption,” the statement said, calling for more stringent oversight and transparency in the sector.
As further evidence of systemic inefficiencies, GUTA referenced the unresolved matter of over 1,000 missing containers belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), some of which were reportedly found in private premises in Tema and intercepted in the Central Region.
The association insists that without tackling these core problems, the PURC has no moral justification to impose new financial burdens on consumers.
“If indeed the PURC is strict on management… most of the wastages due to a combination of factors, including stealing and corruption, would have been halted,” the statement concluded.