The Vice President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Karbonu, has blamed the inefficiencies in the power sector on lack of innovation on the part of the managers of the sector.
In December 2015, PURC announced an increase in utility tariffs, with a 59.2 percent increase for electricity and 67.2 percent for water but distribution of power still remains a problem for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
[contextly_sidebar id=”Tcr2JVOgLcGYc2iRtZnQrE1hMETAIbyz”]Some Ghanaians have also been complaining they have been paying unreasonably more electricity tariffs, than they are supposed to.
Commenting on the problems with the ECG on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue, Angel Karbonu expressed frustration at the numerous challenges befalling the power sector despite the highly qualified individuals sitting in management.
“Why should I queue to buy units that you [ECG] need to make money as an organization?” he asked in exasperation.
“What is the problem with our intellectuals that they don’t think out of the box? It looks as if there more certificates we have, the more we become incapacitated to think.”
Mr Karbonu also said there was no justification for government’s decision to implement a one-off tariff increment system the way it happened instead of a staggered payment system which would generally mean the payment of different amounts in different intervals over a specified period.
“Whatever justification anyone gives to it… the reality is that people woke up one morning and they realised that they are paying more electricity bills and more water bills,” he said.
Mr Karbonu added, “yes we agree that we will need to generate revenue. Yes we agree that we have to pay legacy debt but however, in doing this, you will have to take into the consideration the living conditions of the people and even if it is necessary, what happens to staggering payments because definitely the situation we have right now, people are definitely going to react.”
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By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana