The Africa Sustainable Energy Centre (ASEC) has sharply criticised the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) over its proposal to increase electricity tariffs by 225 percent, calling the move “outrageous and unjustified.”
In a statement released on Monday, September 22, ASEC acknowledged that tariff adjustments are permitted under Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) regulations but stressed that such reviews must be fair, transparent, and tied to measurable improvements in ECG’s performance.
According to the group, ECG’s longstanding operational inefficiencies—ranging from weak revenue mobilisation and outdated collection methods to persistent debt accumulation—cannot be used as a pretext for penalising customers.
“Consumers who dutifully pay their bills should not be made to suffer for ECG’s inefficiencies and mounting debts,” the statement emphasised.
ASEC further challenged ECG’s accountability, raising questions about unresolved concerns such as the whereabouts of missing company containers, progress in debt recovery from government institutions, and the status of the GHC 1 energy levy. Without addressing these issues, the Centre argued, ECG has “no operational basis” to justify any tariff increment, let alone a 225 percent hike.
The organisation also took aim at the PURC, accusing the regulator of routinely approving tariff applications without sufficient scrutiny. ASEC warned that such decisions have only deepened economic hardships while power supply remains unreliable.
The group insisted that any future tariff adjustments must be progressive and tied to concrete reforms. “Pouring money into ECG without reform is like pouring water into a torn sack,” it cautioned.
ASEC concluded by calling for stronger accountability, innovation, and structural reforms to address ECG’s financial challenges, stressing that arbitrary tariff hikes will only worsen the burden on citizens.
