The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) will today hit the streets of Kumasi in the Ashanti region to demonstrate against the recent increase in utility bills which they have described as governments insensitivity to the plight of the already suffering Ghanaian.
The demonstration which is expected to be massive will start from the Jackson part in Kumasi and end at the Culture Centre. About hundreds of Ghanaians are expected to pour out on the streets of Kumasi to partake in the demonstration. Speaking to the Patriot newspaper in a telephone interview yesterday, a leading member of the group, Mr. Kwabena Bonfeh hinted that the march is to register their displeasure at the recent unjustifiable increase in utility tariffs.
AFAG is demonstrating on the principles of the recent increase and that we are calling for the immediate reduction and withdrawal of utility bills imposed on the poor people of this country.’ He said that the Ghanaian is already suffering too much from what he described as a ‘tax epidemic’ in the country. According to him, the group is also asking for quality service from the Volta River Authority (VRA), Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana Water Company and the GRIDCo Company.
Mr. Bonfeh continued that it is unfortunate that Ghanaians are paying for high utility bills and called on government to absorb the increase in order for it not to have dire consequences on the already burdened Ghanaian. Mr. Bonfeh (a.k.a Kabila) expressed worry that ministry players and other agencies who owe government so much money have their debts being transferred to the poor Ghanaian. Kabila said if government pays for its debt at ECG, it will enable the company to perform better.
He pledged the group’s commitment to fight for the ordinary Ghanaian till the government reverses its decision. “We believe industries will suffer a high cost of production with the attendant increases of the price of goods and services. This will lead to contraction in demand and result in unemployment. The cost of living of the already overburdened Ghanaian will be negatively impacted,” AFAG lamented in a statement issued last week. AFAG stated that such astronomical increases in utility tariffs in the midst of the current economic turbulence are untenable.
