Utility tariffs up 35%

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission has approved 35 percent tariff increase for electricity and water.

The approval, which takes immediate effect, was given on Friday by the PURC following requests from the utility companies.

The Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana Water Company were hoping for between 60 and 100 percent increases. They had said they needed the adjustment to cater for the increasing cost of power generation and to improve their service quality.

The PURC says it hopes the new tariffs would kick off steps towards full cost recovery.