Minority calls for reversal of water, electricity tariff hikes

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to halt and review recent increases in water and electricity tariffs.

They mentioned plans to use parliamentary tools to engage with the issue. The adjustments, which include approximately 9% for electricity and over 15% for water, have drawn attention for potentially affecting the impact of the 2026 minimum wage increase.

Speaking at a press conference today, Monday, December 8, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, George Kwame Aboagye, said the caucus intends to use legislative mechanisms to ensure accountability in the management of utilities, beyond issuing public statements. “We call on the government to immediately halt these incessant increases. The minority stands firmly with Ghanaian workers, households, small businesses and industries struggling to survive,” he said.

“Our position remains firm and non-negotiable. These tariff hacks must be reversed immediately and measures must be taken to protect the consumers and sustain businesses,” they added.

“Ghanaians deserve relief not repeated shocks. They deserve leadership not exploitation and we as a minority caucus we will continue to hold this government accountable and defend the rights of the people,” Mr. Aboagye emphasized. He further noted, “We will continue to use every legitimate parliamentary tool to demand fairness, transparency, and accountability in the management of the nation’s utilities.”

They indicated that parliamentary actions could include motions, urgent questions, or a special debate regarding the tariff increases, which are implemented by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).

The caucus highlighted that higher tariffs could affect households by reducing the real value of the 2026 wage increase. Small businesses and industries could face increased operational costs, which may impact job retention and competitiveness, especially amid rising interest rates and fluctuating inflation.

The Caucus said it will continue to monitor developments closely and employ all available parliamentary tools to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of utility tariffs.

This follows an announcement made by PURC on Tuesday, December 2, regarding the tariff increases. “Effective January 1, 2026, consumers of both electricity and water will experience increases in tariffs. This follows a new tariff approval by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), which will see electricity rise by 9.86 per cent and water by 15.92 per cent across the board for all customers,” parts of the statement said.

The approval came after the conclusion of the major Multi-Year Tariff Review Order (MYTO) process for the period 2026 to 2030. A statement signed by the Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr. Shafic Suleman, explained that the review was conducted in accordance with sections 3, 16, 17, 18, 20, and 21 of the PURC Act, 1997 (Act 538).

“The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission wishes to inform consumers of electricity and water that, after going through the major Multi-Year Tariff Review Order (MYTO) processes for the period 2026 to 2030, there has been a review of the existing tariffs effective January 1, 2026. These reviews have been carried out in line with sections 3, 16, 17, 18, 20, and 21 of the PURC Act, 1997, Act 538. This major review is consistent with the Commission’s MYTO regime, which ranges between 3-5 years,” he said.