The Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE), Mr. Ben Nsiah, has strongly criticised the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) for its decision to increase electricity tariffs by 2.45%, describing the move as unjustified and made in bad faith.

Speaking on UTV’s midnight discussion programme on Friday, June 17, 2025, Mr. Nsiah questioned the rationale behind the tariff hike, which is set to take effect from Tuesday, July 1.

According to him, under normal circumstances, PURC should have announced the new rates at least a month in advance and engaged stakeholders prior to implementation — both of which, he claims, did not happen this time.

“This is a clear deviation from the standard regulatory practice,” he stated.

“Stakeholders, including civil society organisations, were not consulted, and we have not been provided with any clear justification for the increment.

That raises serious questions about transparency and accountability.”

Mr. Nsiah argued that under PURC’s own tariff adjustment formula, electricity prices should have gone down, not up, particularly at a time when Ghanaians are already burdened with some of the highest electricity bills in the West African sub-region.

“Compared to countries like Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa, Ghanaians are paying significantly more for power.

For PURC to announce an increment — when indicators point to a possible reduction — is not only disappointing, but unfair to consumers,” he added.

CEMSE is calling on PURC to suspend the tariff adjustment, engage stakeholders thoroughly, and provide a clear explanation of the metrics behind the decision.

The Centre warns that failure to do so will erode public trust and worsen the financial strain on households and businesses already grappling with the high cost of living.