{"id":53257,"date":"2014-10-03T12:22:10","date_gmt":"2014-10-03T12:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=53257"},"modified":"2014-10-03T12:31:58","modified_gmt":"2014-10-03T12:31:58","slug":"chase-purc-officials-out-for-increasing-tariffs-young-democrats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/10\/chase-purc-officials-out-for-increasing-tariffs-young-democrats\/","title":{"rendered":"Chase PURC officials out for increasing tariffs – Young Democrats"},"content":{"rendered":"

A pro-NDC group, the Young Democrats, is calling on the general public to chase officials of the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC) out of their offices.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the group, the announcement of the increased utility tariffs by the Commission has shown that they are insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians.<\/p>\n

\u201cGhanaians should go to their offices and chase them out because I am not sure they live in Ghana,\u201d said the spokesperson of the group, Don Emmanuel Agbanyo.<\/p>\n

He told Citi News<\/strong>, it is only mass action against the PURC which will get them to reverse the increment in the tariffs.<\/p>\n

The Commission on Tuesday announced a 6.54 percent and 4.54 percent increment in electricity and water tariffs respectively for the last quarter of 2014.<\/p>\n

The implementation of the 4.54 percent increment in water tariffs was however deferred.<\/p>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”Ip2VnLWHl83Fr7w332qNz5NUUE5ZQ39T”]The new tariffs which took effect on October 1, has incurred the wrath of Ghanaians who are of the view that increment lacks merit following the erratic power supply which has led to an ongoing load shedding exercise.<\/p>\n

The Consumer Protection Agency<\/strong><\/span><\/a> has questioned the rationale behind the new tariffs despite the inefficiencies in the system and poor quality of service.<\/p>\n

The Trades Unions Congress (TUC) is also demanding an immediate reversal of the new prices<\/strong><\/span><\/a> because according to them, it is \u201cill- timed\u201d and absolutely \u201cinsensitive\u201d.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Citi News<\/strong>, Agbanyo fumed saying, \u201cthe PURC is increasing the hardships Ghanaians are going through by increasing electricity tariffs.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is a social democratic government which is working to alleviate the poverty of citizens.<\/p>\n

He stressed that \u201can increment, it\u2019s a no go area, they should not start it at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
\nFollow @osamidan<\/a>
\n