The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has appealed to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to reassess its decision to raise utility tariffs for the third quarter of the year.
Effective October 1, electricity rates will increase by 3.02%, while water tariffs will rise by 1.86%.
The PURC cited fluctuations in the exchange rate as the main reason for the tariff adjustments.
In an interview with Citi Business News on Monday, Tsonam Akpeloo, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of AGI, voiced concerns that the tariff hikes would lead to higher operational costs for manufacturers and weaken consumers’ purchasing power.
Akpeloo urged the regulatory body to address these concerns by either maintaining or reducing tariffs in the next quarter, warning that the current increases would not support industrial growth.
He also noted that many businesses are struggling to stay afloat due to rising utility costs, which producers cannot pass on to consumers.
