TUC rejects 400% tariff hikes

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has rejected a 400 percent increment in tariffs being sought by the utility companies.

The service providers today, Friday, October 16, at a meeting with the TUC and organized labour made a forceful argument for a forthcoming increase in tariffs.

They are all calling for the huge percentage hike to keep their machines operational.

In the power sector, the proposal is for tariffs to increase from 14 pesewas per kilowatt hour to 30 pesewas.

The water company also wants the price of 5 barrels of water increased from GHC1,78 pesewas to GHC4.

But the TUC says even though the utility companies have justified the increment, workers cannot pay.

Speaking at the event, the TUC General Secretary Kofi Asamoah said workers are already under heavy economic laden.

"They did a technical justification but that is only a means to an end. They also poured out their frustrations as to the challenges that they are going through. There Some of the challenges that are beyond them, for instance the depreciation of the Cedi.

"So we are going to digest all that presentation and then come back to them but definitely we will not accept the levels that they are proposing".