ECG Proposes Increment In Tariff To Support Operational Activities

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) says it needs more funds to support its operational activities. The Managing Director of the company, Kwame Agyeman Budu at a public forum on Thursday, April 8, 2021, said while he is aware that the proposal will only materialize after approval from the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC), he believes that it is critical for

ECG to have access to more funds to enable it operate efficiently. Currently, all lifeline consumers who are also classified as poor and low-income earners pay GHS16 for the power consumed and extra GHS2.13 as service charge, making it a total of about GHS18 and We need money to do it [improve]. If we get the increase we will love it [but] that will be up to the the PURC because, no

matter what we propose, they will ultimately decide. In terms of the distribution, we need support, because we also have to do upgrades to make sure the system is also sustainable. We don’t wait till something is broken before we fix it and we also need additional funds to upgrade our systems at all times, he added. On whether the proposal will not not lead to an extra burden on the

finances of Ghanaians, Agyeman Budu said the details will be given should PURC give approval. Meanwhile, a former ranking member of the Parliament’s Mines and the Energy committee, Mutawakilu Adam has kicked against the proposal and insisting that the ECG has not demonstrated efficiency in its operations to merit an increase in tariffs.