Accra: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is outraged by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission's announcement of a 9.8 per cent and 15.9 per cent increase in electricity and water tariffs respectively.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Joshua Ansah, the Secretary-General of TUC Ghana, stated that the increases were to take effect from January 1, 2026, coinciding with the day a nine per cent increase in the minimum wage and base pay by the Government would also take effect. "This can only be described as the Government's New Year's gift to Ghanaians," he remarked.
In the previous year, 2025, the government had granted a wage increase of 10 per cent while increasing electricity tariffs cumulatively by more than 18 per cent. Mr Ansah highlighted that workers were already discontent with the nine per cent wage increase for 2026, considering the ongoing cost of living challenges. The additional unexpected increases in utility prices added to their grievances.
Mr Ansah expressed that the tariff increments had nullified the wage adjustment for 2026. He criticized the Government's actions, describing them as insensitive to the struggles of workers and Ghanaians. He further stated that the Government had effectively negated the nine per cent wage increase planned for January 1, 2026.
Mr Ansah insisted that the increases would not be accepted unless the Government returned to negotiations to enhance the wage increase for 2026. He warned that failure to address this would lead the TUC to mobilize workers to oppose the implementation of the tariff hikes.
He announced that on Monday, December 8, 2025, the TUC and Organised Labour would hold a press conference to address these tariff increases. During the conference, they plan to outline measures to counter the tariff hike implementation.