Six-Member Committee to deliberate on utility tariffs

Accra, July 29, GNA- A six-member Committee made up of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) was formed on Thursday to review utility tariffs.

This was reached after a two- hour meeting involving the three bodies and the Vice President to find lasting solutions to disagreements that erupted soon after the new tariffs were announced in June this year.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama, who announced this after the crunchy meeting, said based on the new proposals that emerged in the meeting, there was the need for the stakeholders to further deliberate on the issue to come out with a compromise for mutual benefit.

The members, two each from AGI, TUC and the PURC were given one week to come out with their recommendations where government would be the mediator.

He commended all the stakeholders for their patience and understanding and hoped that the committee would come out with fruitful solutions to the impasse that had existed among the parties.

Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah, an Executive member of AGI, who spoke to journalists after the meeting, was tight-lipped on the new proposals and hoped that at the end of the deliberations, all parties would be satisfied with the outcome.

He said the intervention of the government was crucial and encouraging and could enhance the relationship of stakeholders after a consensus had been reached.

Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General of TUC, expressed disappointment that the tariffs issue was not put to rest after so many hours of discussions.

Members of the AGI and the Industrial and Commercial Union (ICU) of the TUC have on separate occasions registered their displeasure at the reviewed tariffs.

While the industries threatened laying off most of their workers due to the high tariffs, the utility companies said the current tariffs were woefully inadequate and could eventually plunge them into financial crisis.

The situation got to a crescendo when members of the ICU undertook a nationwide demonstration to drum home their point for downward review of the tariffs to resuscitate some of the already ailing industries.