The Executive Chairman of the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG), John Awuni, has criticised the continuous rise in utility tariffs, arguing that such measures have done little to address the inefficiencies of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Limited (GWL).
His remarks come after FABAG’s recent appeal to President John Dramani Mahama to initiate urgent reforms at ECG, highlighting the company’s persistent financial difficulties despite regular tariff hikes.
The association has also given the government a 30-day ultimatum to establish a performance compact aimed at assessing and enhancing the efficiency of ECG and GWCL.
Speaking on Accr-based Citi FM, Mr. Awuni noted that successive administrations had relied on tariff adjustments without seeing meaningful improvement in the operations of the utility firms.
“The utility companies have been asking for tariff increments since the government of John Agyekum Kufuor. So, if tariff increases were the solution, ECG and GWCL should not have problems by now,” he said.
“We are not against fair or economic pricing, but the problem with ECG’s losses is not about tariffs — it’s about poor work attitudes and corruption within the utilities.”
Mr. Awuni added that President Mahama’s call for a national “reset” should focus on structural and institutional reforms rather than further tariff increases.
“John Dramani Mahama told us there is a need for a reset — a realignment. One of the reasons Nana Addo lost power was because of high tariffs and taxes. So, if Mahama’s government is coming to reset, is the tariff increment the reset they promised us? If you are doing tariff increments, then you are no different from Nana Addo’s government,” he argued.
FABAG insists that only strong accountability frameworks and genuine reforms can bring lasting improvements to Ghana’s utility sector.
Source : Adomonline
