Accra, October 6, 2025
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declined an invitation from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to participate in a public hearing on proposals to increase utility tariffs for the 2025–2029 period.
In a statement signed by the Party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP said it found no justification for any stakeholder engagement on tariff increments at a time when Ghanaians are already grappling with high living costs driven by new taxes and general economic hardship.
According to the statement, the invitation, dated September 9, 2025, sought to brief stakeholders on proposals submitted by utility providers including the VRA, GRIDCo, ECG, NEDCo, GWL, GNGC, and EPC. However, the NPP insisted that engaging in discussions on tariff hikes would be insensitive, given the economic pressure on citizens.
“The Party does not see any justification for any engagement on possible utility tariff increment at this moment when Ghanaians are already overburdened by rising cost of living occasioned largely by government’s introduction of new taxes including the so-called ‘Dumsor Levy,’” the statement read.
Mr. Kodua Frimpong described the “Dumsor Levy” as an unnecessary burden on the populace, revealing that the levy alone generates over GH₵575 million monthly and about GH₵5.7 billion annually for government coffers. He argued that this revenue should be used to support the operations of the regulated utility companies, rather than increasing tariffs further.
The NPP also dismissed claims from government spokespersons suggesting that the proposed tariff increment is a condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The party clarified that the current IMF programme is set to conclude in 2026, while the proposed tariff adjustments are scheduled to take effect between 2026 and 2029, describing the claim as “palpably false.”
“From all indications, Ghanaians are being unduly levied to pay for government’s incompetence in managing the regulated utility companies,” Mr. Kodua Frimpong stated. “The NPP finds this unacceptable and will use all legitimate means to resist any such attempt to slap Ghanaians with these astronomical tariff increases.”
The NPP’s position signals growing resistance to potential utility price hikes, with the party framing the move as another symptom of what it calls government’s poor economic management.
Report by: Mayor Carlos
