Pay realistic salaries; we will pay realistic tariffs – CPA to Govt

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Kofi Kapito, has reiterated his call on the government to ensure that the labour front in the country enjoys good working conditions for them to deliver better services.

That aside, he also wants them to be paid realistic salaries for them to be able to meet the continuously rising cost of living.

For instance, he said when workers are paid very well; they would also be able to pay all the utility bills that come their way.

The utility service providers comprising the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), GRIDCO, Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), and the Volta River Authority (VRA) have sent a proposal to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), demanding for over 200% tariff adjustment to enable them improve on service delivery.

They referred to the depreciation of the cedi against major trading currencies on the world market, especially, the US Dollar, infrastructure deficit, as well as system losses to buttress their demand.

Their demands were re-echoed by President John Dramani Mahama in a recent interview on Garden City Radio in the Ashanti Region.

According to the President, if Ghanaians want a reliable and sustainable supply of electricity, they must brace themselves to pay more for the services being delivered by the utility companies.

“If we genuinely want reliable, sustainable power then the price will have to go up … that is the reality … if we don’t want any more dumsor then we will have to pay more,” he is quoted as saying.

But Kapito in an interview with Yaa Serwaa Akoto on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.3 FM on Monday said the call by the President should be backed by paying workers realistic salaries.

“If the government wants Ghanaians to pay realistic utility tariffs, it must also pay workers realistic salaries,” he noted.