Editorial
Utility tariffs outrageous
Consumers are paying more for water and power
Dear Editor
The recent increment in electricity and water tariffs as announced by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) comes as a surprise to some of us.
The average end-user tariff for electricity has been raised by 18.36 per cent for the second quarter of 2023, adding on to an almost 30 per cent increase in the first quarter.
According to the PURC, “Utility companies are under-covering and require an upward adjustment of their rates in order to keep the lights on.”
It cited factors such as the cost of electricity, increased volume cost of chemicals for raw water treatment, the Ghana Cedi/US Dollar exchange rate and inflation, as part of the reasons for the increase.
A similar increment was done in February 2023, pushing electricity up by 29.96 per cent across board for all customers, while water tariff was increased by 8.3 per cent.
The recent hikes would certainly increase the economic burden on citizens. Sachet water is now selling at 50 pesewas and traders are planning to increase the unit price further due to the new adjustment in tariffs.
The quarterly adjustment formula being implemented by the PURC means that we are likely to see further increase in tariffs by close of the year.
Already, commercial drivers are reluctant in implementing the 10 per cent reduction in transport fares and we have now been hit with increase in utility tariffs.
I believe it is time the government took a second look at the quarterly adjustment in utility tariffs. While at it, one would expect that increase in tariffs would come with better service delivery from utility service providers but that has not always been the case.
When increases are made, utility providers must ensure that consumers enjoy uninterrupted supply of water and electricity all year round. The PURC must see to this but not only be interested in approving outrageous tariffs.
By Edwin Gyamfi, Odumase Krobo
Eastern Region
Editorial
Kudos to Ho Teaching Hospital staff, but …
Dear Editor,
If there is any group of professionals that get bad-mouthed the most, then you are referring to nurses and medical doctors assigned to public hospitals across the country.
For this particular letter, I want to sing the praises of this same group of professionals that work at the Ho Teaching Hospital, famously known as Trafalgar.
Despite the work load and the mass casualties received at the emergency ward of the hospital, the welcoming nature of the nurses and the professional touch by the doctors can’t be ignored. My personal experience has got me travelling from my base in Accra to seek medical services from these professionals.
Special mention has to be made of the likes of Precious of the Pharmacy Department, Dr Brandon Banor (a maxillofacial resident) of the Dental unit, male nurse Justice assigned to the female surgical ward. Words cannot really do justice to their affable, professional caring nature. A simple thank you is all that I can say.
In the same vein, I can’t but call out the bad attitude of the auxiliary staff and contractors of the hospital.
Chief among them is some of the contracted bank staff that handle the payment section of the hospital and the patient registration section (those that check the status of the patient as to whether they are fee paying patients or NHIS sponsored).
The attitude at times leaves a bad taste in the mouth. One such occurrence was a night staff of the registration section who had her legs on the office table whilst talking to patients.
The CEO of the hospital needs to shine his torch light on this support sections before they erode the awesome performance of the direct medical staff of the hospital.
Thank you for the space.
Kwesi Manu
Accra
Editorial
Develop policies to address disability concerns
Dear Editor,
AT the beginning of the year, when I went to the bank to deposit money into my uncle’s account, I observed a very sad situation where a man in a wheelchair struggled to navigate his way around the facility.
This is because the structure is disability unfriendly.
As I stood and watched how the man struggled to move his wheelchair, I felt sad and wondered if this is how the life of a disabled person should be. It becomes worse if there is no one to offer help.
In Ghana, People With Disabilities (PWDs) are often treated differently and are often subjected to all forms of discrimination.
Most of these people find themselves in such a situation as a result of unfortunate happenings such as accidents and injuries.
It is, therefore, not appropriate for anyone to discriminate against them. Discrimination against such persons take many forms, including how buildings are constructed.
Most of the public structures are not disability friendly and impede their movement.
As a country, we should consider the PWDs in designing our structures. I also think that there should be a national policy that seeks to address this issue.
I have a strong conviction that when such a policy is developed by the government, people with disabilities would feel appreciated and also promote social inclusivity.
Ray,
Kasoa
