By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Sept 12, GNA – The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) has called for the immediate suspension of the proposed Utilities adjustments.
The Chamber urged the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the government to adopt a transparent, equitable process.
A statement issued in Accra by Mr. Stephane Miezan, President, GNCCI, expressed concern over new tariff proposals submitted to the PURC by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
It said ECG was seeking a 225 per cent increase in its Distribution Service Charge (DSC1), while NEDCo was requesting a 171 per cent rise.
It said meanwhile GWCL had proposed a 280 per cent increase in water tariffs, citing rising operational costs, foreign exchange pressures, the impact of illegal mining, and the need for financial stability.
The statement said the PURC has implemented successive tariff adjustments, raising the baseline cost of utilities for businesses.
It said electricity tariffs rose by 3.02 percent in Q3 of 2024, 14.75 per cent in Q1/Q2 of 2025, and 2.45 per cent in Q3 2025.
“Water tariffs increased by 1.86 per cent in Q3 2024 and 4.02 per cent in Q1/Q2 of 2025,” it added.
It said these cumulative adjustments have placed significant strain on businesses, particularly manufacturers and SMEs and households already facing rising living costs.
The indicators used by ECG and GWCL to justify further increases do not support the proposed tariffs, stating that inflation has declined, the cedi remained relatively stable, and the price of natural gas trades between USD 7–8.
It said the outstanding debts of these institutions should not be passed to consumers.
“Repeatedly transferring financial shortfalls directly to businesses is unsustainable,” it said.
The statement said these proposed increments appear driven more by institutional inefficiencies than by prevailing economic conditions.
It said regardless of macroeconomic performance, tariff increases persist, raising concerns about fairness, sustainability, and accountability.
“Implementing hikes of this magnitude would increase production costs, reduce
competitiveness, erode profitability, and threaten jobs, particularly in manufacturing
and agro-processing,” it added.
It said they also believe the Energy Sector Levy should be strategically directed to address outstanding obligations.
The statement said Ghana should prioritise investments in solar and other renewable energy sources to strengthen capacity and intensify efforts to curb illegal mining (galamsey), which continued to damage water resources and increase treatment costs.
The GNCCI reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with PURC, ECG, GWCL, and the Ministry of Energy.
The Chamber is seeking for balanced solutions that ensure the financial sustainability of utilities while protecting businesses and households and safeguarding Ghana’s economic growth.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah