A former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, had suggested that the government was trying to usurp the mandate of the  (PURC), by announcing an average reduction of between 13 and 21 percent in electricity tariffs for residential and industrial consumers.

[contextly_sidebar id=”68n5y9mRnzPMBp4JAcF5ihJmTPhUFofZ”]According to him, the announcement of the proposal to the PURC by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, whilst reading the 2018 budget statement on the floor of Parliament, put undue pressure on the PURC to approve it.

However, the Energy Minister, speaking to some journalists, including Citi News‘ Duke Mensah Opoku, rejected those assertions, stating that it would have been irresponsible of government not to request the reduction in the interest of Ghanaians.

“We have made recommendations to the PURC seeking their approval, so I don’t understand the hullabaloo. If we as a government, see benefits that could accrue and inure to the benefit of our citizens, it would be irresponsible on our part not to go to PURC for them to approve those benefits so that our citizens can get cheaper electricity. I don’t see anything wrong with it. We have not declared a reduction. We have gone to PURC to seek their approval, but there’s nothing wrong with us telling the nation what we have done,” Boakye Agyarko said.

He added that, the PURC ultimately had the mandate to determine whether the request from government had any merit, and would only approve it if they believe it was appropriate for them to do so.

He thus brushed aside the claims that they were exerting pressure on PURC into approving the tariff reduction, stating that it would have been unwise to go to the Commission without suggesting a rate of decrease.

“It’s up to the PURC to approve it or not. You send things to PURC to examine and review. We’ve not told PURC what to do, we’ve made a request. It’s semantics, if we have a problem with the English language, let us say so. All we have done is send a request to PURC for their examination and approval. Should we have gone to PURC and just said reduce the tariffs? It would have been grossly irresponsible to go to PURC without numbers and ask them to approve it,” he said.

‘Gov’t’s review of tariff-setting methodology  ‘extremely inappropriate’ 

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, stated that the government had revised the tariff-setting methodology and the cost structure for power production.

He added that a recommendation would be made to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission in this regard, which will bring a little more relief to businesses and domestic users of electricity.

However, in an interview with Citi News, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, described this move by government as “extremely inappropriate,” adding that the government cannot make a recommendation to the PURC on possible cuts in utility costs as the Commission had the sole mandate of setting the tariffs.

“The idea that government should recommend specific numbers for tariffs is extremely inappropriate. Since 1997, we’ve had the PURC whose job it is to determine the methodology and the applicable rates, and also undertake three-monthly reviews of the tariffs in line with the changing circumstances such as price of fuel and the types of fuel mix that are being used by various generators, and the tariffs that are paid to the various generators. That is the sole purview of the PURC, and absolutely no government has got any right to recommend, let alone be specific about what reductions it should apply,” he said.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Nothing wrong with asking PURC for tariff reduction – Agyarko appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Brobby on the Citi Breakfast Show indicated that, the move is a knee-jerk reaction aimed at pushing government to meet the demands of the Association, adding that, the decision might rather worsen the challenges LPG marketers face.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MWRrH2FdrlLSgWezQuhwv2LjHVd68YuV”]“I think that the reaction is totally knee-jerk and unnecessary, and will lead to the acceleration of the problems that they are fighting because at the end of the day, it is about the consumer, and making sure the consumer is well served… This idea of self-segregation doesn’t work. It is a totally needless and fruitless decision.”

He pointed out that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), is also to blame for the Association’s decision since it failed to dialogue before closing down some stations, thus forcing the latter to suspend its operations.

“The taskforce and the NPA should have published the rules of engagement and should have told the Association which stations they have closed down and why they closed them down. There’s been a problem because the regulators have not done their job well.”

Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the LPG Marketers Association, Gabriel Kumi, has said their decision to suspend operations nationwide, is to protest what they consider as unfair treatment by authorities.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Kumi alleged that, some state officials, including assembly members, have been extorting money from LPG Marketers across the country, since the deadly Atomic Gas explosion, and the subsequent directives from government to sanitize the industry.

Mr. Kumi indicated that, some stations are even facing a threat of closure by the assembly members who are supposedly extorting money from them.

“We have assembly men going round our stations that they want to close it down. There is a whole extortion business going on by this team.”

The Association’s members, some of who shutdown from Wednesday, October 19, have not indicated when it will allow members resume regular operations.

The Association had indicated that, the closure was to allow for a safety audit.

Mr. Kumi has however clarified that, the move is primarily a response to government’s decision to close down some high risk fuel stations.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post LPG Marketers blackmailing gov’t – Wereko Brobby appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In his view, this only amounts to “wasting a fire man’s time.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”9D4CNMCtZavUZTkvQRMcITeaWoTZ8f25″]Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Wereko-Brobby said,” I don’t really see that we need to go and deploy fire service people because they’ve already got so many challenges. Instead, we need to ensure that every station that discharges gas, has the right equipment, knows the right procedure, knows what to do. It’s not about actually wasting a fire man’s time to go and stand at the station. That will not solve the problem… the onus is upon the OMCs members who operate these stations to ensure that things which are likely to create danger are not anywhere near your station.”

His comments follow the fire service’ intention to include as part of its regulations, the mandatory supervision of LPG delivery to stations by a fire personnel. This practice is to ensure that safety procedures are adhered to avoid mishaps.

This policy intention comes on the back of the gas explosion that occurred at Atomic junction in Accra, last Saturday.

Seven persons died, and some 132 others were injured in the unfortunate incident, raising to eight, the number of gas explosions at delivery points Ghana has witnessed in the last four years.

Last Saturday’s gas explosion reignited conversations on where fuel stations in the country should be sited.

Dr. Wereko-Brobby, who is the Chief Executive of the Ghana Institute for Public Policy Options (GIPPO), further asserted that in addition to poor maintenance culture, too much is spent on unnecessary talk instead of critically tackling matters to the core.

“The thing we don’t do well is sustaining safety operation of preventive measures. We get into these situations and you realize that everybody is talking plenty. What we need to do is to ensure that the rules and regulations that govern all these things are not only set in law, but systematically and regularly sustained and always monitored to ensure that everyone is doing the right thing.”

“There should be strict enforcement right from the word go of all the rules and regulations that govern filling stations and gas plants; starting with making sure that anybody who hasn’t got a license to operate a gas station should be closed down…. No excuses should be given. I really don’t think we’re dealing with rocket science here,” he added.

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By: Marie-Franz Fordjoe/citifmonline/Ghana

The post Supervising fuel stations a waste of Firemen’s time – Wereko-Brobby appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Methodist Church Diocesan Bishop of Obuasi, Rt Rev. Stephen Richard Bosomtwi-Ayensu is alleged to have referred to the leadership of the country as liars.

A press statement issued by the Secretariat , noted that “as much as the UCF recognizes every individual’s right to free speech and association, we think it is now becoming a norm for some members of the clergy to use the pulpit of the Lord to propagate their partisan leanings to their congregants.”

It further stated that religious leaders can only be respected when they speak with “clerical decorum” “When they mount the pulpits and turn them into political campaign arenas, it will get to a time that the citizenry will return their vituperations in like manner,” it further noted.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the Deputy General Secretary of the Secretariat, Camillaus Sakzeezi said the clergy is hiding behind the pulpit to propagate their political agenda.

“We have nothing against a Bishop or any of the clergy members expressing their opinion about development, economy or whatsoever, but what we want to bring out is that people are hiding behind religious enclaves and trying to force their political ambition on the congregation that they lead and that is what we are against.”

“We are not against people criticizing the government of the NDC but when it is done with some malice and the intent of inciting the citizenry against it by some members of the clergy – we have a problem with that,” he added. He further noted that Rev Ayensu Bonsu’s comment was tantamount to inciting his congregation against the government.

In that regard, he emphasized the need fo the clergy to criticize government and other political leaders constructively.

Below is the full statement issued by the UCF

In the matter of “our leaders are big liars”: cadres react to bishop bosomtwi-ayensu

The National Secretariat of the United Cadres’ Front (UCF) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been keenly following comments made by some members of the clergy on the leadership of this country.

Quiet recently the Methodist Church Diocesan Bishop of Obuasi, Rt. Rev. Stephen Richard Bosomtwi-Ayensu, was reported by the media as having called our leaders – “LIARS”.

The Chronicle of Monday, May 12, 2012, in page two had this caption: “Our leaders are big liars” It is not the first time the Bishop is making such sensational statements.

It is recalled that the same personality took on the government in very rough language at a crusade in his diocese as captured by the Daily Guide on Friday, 31 January this. Much as the UCF recognizes every individual’s right to free speech and association, we think it is now becoming a norm for some members of the clergy to use the pulpit of the Lord to propagate their partisan leanings to their congregants.

We are surprised that the Bishop, being a leader himself can open his mouth and seeing political leaders as quoted by The Chronicle that the “leaders of our time are nothing but liars”.

Religious leaders we agree must be respected but that can only be done when they speak with clerical decorum.

However, when they mount the pulpits and turn them into political campaign arenas, it will get to a time that the citizenry will return their vituperations in like manner.

Bishop Bosomtwi Ayensu ought to be told in plain language that he better put aside his clerical cassock and collar, put on the political garments of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and join them in their campaign to win power in 2016.

We are of this reasoning because he has already started the campaign for the NPP as The Chronicle reported in its last paragraph: “Rev. Bosomtwi Ayensu also noted that 2016 is not far away and urged all stakeholders to prepare towards a clean and Godly elections; and urged the Electoral Commission to be extra vigilant in the upcoming elections”.

If this is not political campaign that has fallen short of naming a party he is campaigning for – what else can we assign this talk to?

To the Bishop, all elections conducted by the Electoral Commission were ‘DEVILISHLY’ conducted since 1992 and thus a “Godly” one needed next time round.

As referenced earlier this same Bishop, on Friday, 31st January this year was given a prominent publication when he was addressing a so-called crusade in the same diocese and turned it into a political talk and did a very good ‘washing’ of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Admittedly, however, some of the issues he critiqued especially on corruption were captured by the UCF when we convened a Press Conference on 16th April this year at the International Press Centre.

We are, therefore, not against people criticizing the government of the NDC but when it done with some malice and the intent of inciting the citizenry against it by some members of the clergy – we have problem with that. Our concern is also the intemperate language the media captured him as saying.

He is not alone in the POLITICAL CRUSADE against the NDC.

There are a few others who have made it a point to use the church in advancing the course of our political opponents. In the 2012 electioneering campaign, many church leaders openly used their services to campaign for the NPP.

But as we have posited – they have the right to belong to political parties and work for them.

What we are against is using the name of God in ‘crusades and Synods’ to do the biddings of political parties. We leave the Bishop and his like-minded colleagues to their conscience.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘Don’t use pulpit to campaign for your parties’ – Group to Clergy appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.