Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has called on the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to suspend its planned 14.75% increase in electricity tariffs, citing the current unstable power supply as grounds for the appeal.

Speaking during an interview on Adom FM, the MP described the timing of the increment as insensitive and burdensome, particularly when many Ghanaians are already dealing with frequent power outages.

“The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is not running a charity, and neither are the citizens. It is unfair to expect Ghanaians to pay more when they are not even receiving reliable power. During outages, people are forced to spend extra money on fuel for generators — that’s an added burden.” he said.

Mr. Baffour Awuah argued that any tariff adjustments should be contingent on the provision of stable electricity, adding that it is unreasonable for consumers to shoulder the cost of an unreliable service.

He also criticized the PURC for appearing to favor utility companies over the interests of the public.

“PURC is supposed to be a neutral regulator, but it seems their decisions largely benefit ECG and NEDCo, with little consideration for the consumer,” he said.

In addition to the suspension of the tariff hike, the MP is demanding that the ECG release a clear load-shedding timetable, allowing households and businesses to better plan their activities amid the ongoing power challenges.

The PURC had earlier announced that electricity and water tariffs would increase by 14.75% and 4.02% respectively, effective May 3, 2025. The Commission attributed the hike to factors including fluctuations in the cedi-dollar exchange rate, rising inflation, increased natural gas costs, and changes in the country’s power generation mix.