COPEC Vows Strong Resistance to PURC’s Utility Tariff Increases
"We Will Resist": COPEC Slams PURC's Electricity and Water Tariff Increases
- COPEC has strongly criticized the PURC's decision to increase utility tariffs
- Duncan Amoah stated that industry players will fiercely oppose the announced hikes
- The PURC cited factors such as the exchange rate between the Ghana cedi and the US dollar
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has strongly criticized the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission’s (PURC) decision to increase utility tariffs, with Executive Secretary Duncan Amoah calling for an immediate reversal.
Duncan Amoah stated that industry players will fiercely oppose the announced hikes if the government does not intervene to overturn the PURC’s decision.
The PURC recently announced an average 14.75% increase in electricity tariffs for all consumer categories and a 4.02% increase in water tariffs, following their quarterly tariff review for the first and second quarters of 2025.
The PURC cited factors such as the exchange rate between the Ghana cedi and the US dollar, inflation projections, fuel costs (especially natural gas), and the current hydro-thermal generation mix as reasons for the adjustments.
However, COPEC Executive Secretary Duncan Amoah argues that these tariff increases are unjustified and unreasonable. “If you look at the circumstances surrounding the ECG, there are issues of accountability that render even public procurement processes and laws moot and ineffective. We have almost 2,000 containers unaccounted for, running into hundreds of millions of Cedis,” he stated.
“Then, we turn back and claim we don’t have money, hence being unable to sustain operations. Therefore, we are raising tariffs. This doesn’t add up, and PURC needs to backtrack on the decision,” Mr. Amoah added.
He further emphasized COPEC’s strong stance, saying, “Coming back to the consumer to insist we pay more, I can assure will be resisted fiercely.”
