The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has come under fire from Dr. Ken Tweneboa Kodua, Vice Chair of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), for announcing increases in energy and water rates without first concluding talks with organized labor.
In an interview with Eyewitness News on Monday, December 8, Dr. Kodua called the process “incomplete and disrespectful,” stating that the PURC’s decision has to be questioned and that the TUC had been trying to create a reasonable and equitable price structure for its members.
He also emphasized that the early tariff announcement contradicts PURC and TUC’s cooperative efforts, pointing out that such unilateral choices could erode confidence and jeopardize future interactions between the regulatory body and organized labor.
“The process and the procedure were not exhaustive. We were as a team trying to come up with a fair, realistic tariff that we could even explain to our members. That process was truncated, and this tariff was announced.”
“That is not respectful and not in the best interest of fairness in our partnership with PURC. PURC, in its own wisdom, started engagement processes with TUC, and why they halted and chose to announce these tariffs without exhausting the process must be answered,” he said.
Following the revelation, organized labour has demanded that the 15.92% increase in water rates and the 9.86% increase in power rates, which are set to go into effect on January 1, 2026, be called off.
Additionally, unless the government modifies the proposed 9% wage increase to offset the additional burden on workers, Labour promised to oppose any tariff hike that could undo the benefits of the planned 2026 wage increase.
Source: newsthemegh.com