The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declined an invitation from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to attend a public hearing on proposed utility tariff increases.

In a statement issued on Monday (6 October), the party said it sees no justification for any engagement on possible utility tariff hikes, citing the overburdening of Ghanaians by the rising cost of living.

The PURC had invited the party to a “public hearing on submitted utility tariff proposal for the 2025-2029 multi-year tariff review”.

But the NPP said the government must use part of the revenues from the new energy sector levy – popularly known as the “Dumsor Levy” – to support the operations of the regulated utility companies.

“The ‘Dumsor Levy’ alone, which was hurriedly passed by the NDC Majority in Parliament under the cover of darkness, rakes in over GH¢575 million every month and over GH¢5.7 billion annually for the government. We submit that part of this money be used to support the operations of the regulated utility companies,” the statement signed by the NPP general secretary, Justin Kodua-Erimpong, said.

The party also described as “palpably false” claims by government spokespersons that the latest move to increase utility tariffs is linked to an IMF conditionality.

“The current IMF programme is scheduled to end next year (2026), but the proposed astronomical increment in tariffs is expected to take effect from 2026 to 2029,” the NPP said.

The party vowed to “use all legitimate means to fight any such attempt to slap Ghanaians with these imminent astronomical increases in utility tariffs”.

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