The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, engaged Members of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in discussions leading to decisions of the Commission's Quarterly Tariff Reviews. The Commission took members through the processes, factors, variables, as well as assumptions that underpinned the upward review in Water, Electricity and Natural Gas tariffs in the second quarter of 2023.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah stressed the importance of the quarterly adjustments, which he said was meant to maintain the value of the tariff, to enable service providers provide for consumers and industries through constant supply of power and to further ensure quality of service provision.

Dr. Ackah further stated the Commission is not only interested in increasing tariffs to overburden the consumer. He noted that, the Commission does perform its mandate bearing in mind, the interest of the consumer and service providers.

Mrs. Ann Ansah Allotey, a Regulatory Economist in the Regulatory Economics Directorate of the PURC, enlightened members of the AGI, on the various processes of the quarterly review decision. She explained the reasons for the upward adjustments, which she attributed to some uncontrollable variables such as Natural Gas prices, the exchange rate between the Ghana Cedi and the US Dollar, inflationary rate, Generation Mix between Hydro and Thermal generation and 25% under-recovery from adjustment in the last quarter of 2022.

The Chief Executive Officer of AGI, Mr Seth Twum-Akwaboah expressed gratitude to the PURC for the initiative to educate members of the AGI and to expand their knowledge base and broaden their horizons in the operations of the Commission and its tariff processes. He requested for periodic engagement with the Commission to keep industry abreast with decisions of the Commission.

The Director of policy at the AGI, Mr. John Deffor, pleaded with the commission to consider revising some of its categories/ tariff classes and charges with respect to water tariffs to help members of the AGI stay in business

Participants who were drawn from the various memberships of the AGI used the opportunity to express themselves on issues bothering them and their businesses with respect to the current upward review in water and electricity tariffs.

Present at the Meeting were Directors and staff of the PURC.