Utility tariff pricing policy proposed

George Andoh, Chairman of Sentuo Steel, a steel manufacturing company, has called for a tariff pricing policy for all the utility providers in the country.

He said this would help guide their policies as they seek to generate and develop cheap and reliable power supply for consumers.

In an interview with the GNA on Tuesday, during a Stakeholder Meeting on the Tariff Review Process, Mr Andoh said a target pricing policy should be considered as it would help inform the pricing policies of the utility providers.

He said the Energy Commission should be mandated to set such tariff limits which should be monitored by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission.

Mr Andoh expressed worry about the high operational costs of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), saying, such operational inefficiencies should not be passed on to the consumer, as it was unfair for them to charge the bulk customer the same price as the distant customer as the costs involved were different.

He said it was equally important for the ECG to review existing agreements with the private power producers of the country as the ordinary consumer cannot continue to pay the high costs.

Mr Andoh said the demand for tariff increase by the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Ghana Urban Water Limited cannot be sustained as they are not addressing the needs of consumers with their existing inefficiencies, and that, until that is done, their tariff demands should not be considered.

Source: GNA