The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has called on the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to suspend the implementation of its recently announced electricity and water tariff increases, which are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.
The appeal follows PURC’s decision to increase electricity tariffs by 3.49 per cent and water tariffs by 0.85 per cent under its third-quarter tariff review.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 24, GUTA described the reasons advanced by the Commission for the increases as unjustifiable, arguing that similar explanations have repeatedly been used to support tariff hikes over the years.
The Association challenged PURC’s reliance on factors such as exchange rate movements, inflation, fuel costs, and electricity generation mix, insisting that current economic conditions do not warrant an increase in utility charges.
According to GUTA, the depreciation of the Ghana Cedi by an average of 4.18 per cent between April and May was not significant enough to justify higher tariffs.
It also noted that inflation rose only marginally from 3.4 per cent in April to 3.7 per cent in May.
The traders’ group further pointed to recent reductions in fuel prices, stating that petrol prices declined by 9.3 per cent while diesel prices fell by 1.7 per cent during the second pricing window in June.
GUTA also argued that there are currently no major challenges with the country’s electricity generation mix, as power generation facilities are operating efficiently.
Based on these factors, the Association maintained that PURC lacks sufficient justification for the proposed tariff adjustments and urged the Commission to reconsider its decision in the interest of businesses and consumers.
