In light of the revelation that, contrary to the announced 59.2 percent electricity tariff increase announced by the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC), Ghanaians are paying 75 percent more, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned Gov’t not to show bad faith in the\u00a0negotiations.<\/p>\n
According to the TUC, ongoing discussions with the Employment and Labour Relations Ministry had been based on knowledge of the initial increase announced by the PURC and not the actual rate, a factor which the government did not reveal to them.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”lVUfFANecim07UxYCX5SFK6XCfAXYr5V”]”If you go and buy pre-paid, there\u2019s about 75% increase. Our engagements have been on the 59%, not knowing that some more had been smuggled down to increase it to the level it\u2019s at now. There is a limit to what we can contain. It is important that people don\u2019t take us for a ride,” the Secretary General of the TUC, Kofi Asamoah stated.<\/p>\n
A nationwide protest by members of Organised Labour on Wednesday highlighted the frustration of Ghanaians towards the recent tariff increases.<\/p>\n
Thousands of workers poured onto the streets across the country to register their displeasure over what they claim are exorbitant increases in the various taxes and tariffs.<\/p>\n
According to Kofi Asamoah, the current tax regime was unacceptable and could be detrimental to Ghana’s economic future.<\/p>\n
“We appreciate and know that if this thing doesn\u2019t stop, the IMF will continue to bite us until we are dead. If you want to tax, don\u2019t tax people to death. You don\u2019t tax poor Ghanaians”<\/p>\n
However the hikes are\u00a0not the only things ailing Ghanaians as\u00a0complaints about the rate of power consumption of the ECG prepaid meters have begun to intensify.<\/p>\n
Agitated consumers called into Thursday’s edition of the Citi Breakfast Show<\/strong> with complaints of ‘vanishing’ ECG credits.<\/p>\n