A communications team member of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fred Agbenyo, has challenged government to tell Ghanaians the true state of the economy.

He feared the continuous concealment of the “truth” will make the Mahama-led government unpopular.

“I will continue to urge government to come out and speak the truth no matter how bitter it will be so that Ghanaians can prepare themselves,” he pointed out.

Fred Agbenyo was commenting on the recent increment in utility tariffs on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Tuesday, Oct 22.

The 78.9 and 52 percent increment in electricity and water tariffs respectively by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) sparked public uproar in the country.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) issued a 10-day ultimatum to government and PURC, to slash utility tariffs by a third or face a nationwide strike.

The TUC insist the new tariff if implemented, given the prevailing economic conditions in the country, will worsen the living standard of workers.

But Fred Agbenyo on Ekosii Sen stated that the brouhaha about the tariff hikes could have been avoided if government and the PURC were candid with the truth.

According to him, Ghanaians by nature are calm and very understanding, therefore, telling them the true state of the economy will psyche them up for the turbulent times ahead.

The NDC man noted that Ghana must not go through this ritual of incessant power outages and water rationing every time without the citizens being told the truth.

Fred Agbenyo posited that if the current status quo remains, it will give the opposition parties political missile to launch against government.