The Minority in Parliament has hit out at the government over the recent surge in electricity and water tariffs, calling the hikes a direct attack on the pockets of ordinary Ghanaians.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced a 9.86 percent increase in electricity tariffs and a 15.92 percent rise in water charges, set to take effect January 1, 2026, as part of its multi-year review for 2026–2030. The Commission said the adjustments are necessary to cover inflation, exchange rate fluctuations, and support utility investments.
But George Kwame Aboagye, Ranking Member of the Energy Committee and MP for Asene Manso Akroso, slammed the move as “punitive and unjustified,” arguing that the government is passing the cost of its own inefficiencies onto consumers.
“These tariff hikes are not reforms, they are punishments,” Aboagye said. “They are a direct assault on the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians and the survival of businesses.” He warned that the increases would erode the recently approved 9 percent weight adjustment for 2026, pushing more households into “utility poverty”.
The MP highlighted that Ghana continues to suffer 32 percent commercial and technical power losses, equating to $80–90 million lost annually, yet the government is still imposing higher tariffs instead of addressing inefficiencies. “Every time we talk about losses, it seems nobody takes them seriously. Tariff reviews can go downward as well as upward, so why not downward?” he questioned.
Aboagye also cautioned that small and medium-scale enterprises, the backbone of the economy, face potential collapse under soaring operational costs. “The government has chosen the lazy path of shifting its failures onto already struggling citizens,” he added.
The Minority caucus called for immediate reversal of the hikes, urging the administration to prioritize fixing systemic inefficiencies rather than punishing consumers. They reiterated their support for Ghanaian households, workers, and businesses enduring rising living and operating costs.
