Political Scientist and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has expressed his disapproval with the proposal by the utility companies in the country to increase tariffs by huge margins.
Prof. Gyampo is of the opinion that the proposals are bogus and insensitive to Ghanaians taking into consideration the current economic plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.
This reaction from the renowned academician follows proposals by the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana Water Company Limited to increase their tariffs by 148 percent and 334 percent respectively. Justifying the proposed increment, the companies believe that such increments will enable them to provide world class services to Ghanaians and clear their longstanding legacy debts.
But Prof. Gyampo believes the poor Ghanaian cannot be made to pay such increment at time that cost of living keeps rising, especially to the disadvantage of the poor.
In a series of social media post sighted, the senior lecturer cannot fathom why policy makers who have lost touch with the reality faced by the ordinary Ghanaian are made to take such decisions.
To this end, he announced that he will help to organize Ghanaians to resist such increment. According to Prof. Gyampo, if there should be any increment, it should affect only the Article 71 office holders who do not even pay for utility.
“We have insulated policy makers from the very problems they are expected to solve. So, they don’t get it. Else, the idea of increasing utilities at this time, wouldn’t have been considered Let only article 71 office holders pay. We will mobilize to resist such hikes,” the political scientist announced.
He further explained that “any attempt to foist increases in utility bills on us, rather than dealing with the incompetence of the managers, must be positively defied by Ghanaians. If salaries can’t be increased beyond 4%, what is the basis for increasing utilities by over 100%?”
He further urged media houses to avoid giving coverage to such proposals since it will give its undeserved mileage.
“The idea of huge increments in utility bills must not be allowed to fester and media houses giving unnecessary coverage for such callous proposals must know they will also suffer. We don’t have the money. If we get it, we will pay to only competent bodies,” he stated.
