Kumasi, June 5, GNA - The Concerned Youth of Ghana (CYG), a Kumasi-based pressure group said the recent increases in water and electricity tariffs are unacceptable.

They have therefore called on the government to order the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) to suspend the increase as this would further worsen the already impoverished situation of the ordinary Ghanaian. This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Tony Bediako, President of the CYG and issued in Kumasi on Friday.

The PURC last week announced upward adjustments of electricity and water tariffs by 89 and 36 per cent respectively effective June 1, 2010. The CYG said the utility companies, especially the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) had over the years, taken Ghanaians for granted and provided poor services to consumers. The group said the companies needed to sit up and provide quality services to consumers to warrant any increase in tariffs. It said the increases were likely to force industries to lay off some of its workers and thus, compound the already high rate of unemployment situation in the country.

The statement said the CYG would embark on a demonstration in Kumasi on Friday, June 11, if by that time government had not intervened and put on hold the increases.