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The Ministry of Energy has refuted claims by the Minority in Parliament that the government is meddling in the affairs of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).

The ministry has further dispelled allegations made by the Minority that no proposals have been made to the PURC for a reduction of tariffs as was promised in the 2018 budget statement.

In a statement issued and signed by its head of Communications, Nana Damoah, the ministry stressed that the claims made by the Minority that the PURC was contemplating a major increase in electricity tariffs was neither here nor there.

Allegations

The statement by the ministry comes in the wake of the claims made by the Minority spokesperson on Energy, Mr Adam Mutawakilu, that the ministry, and for that matter the government, had not made any proposal to the PURC for a reduction in the electricity tariffs, contrary to what was stated in the 2018 budget.

Mr Mutawakilu and the Minority in Parliament alleged that the Ministry of Energy and the government were meddling in the affairs of the PURC contrary to the law.

He also made claims that the PURC was contemplating a major increase in electricity tariffs.

Reaction

While dispelling those claims, the ministry stressed that it was cautious about the promises it made to deliver quality services to members of the public within the confines of the law.

The statement by the ministry accused Mr Mutawakilu and the Minority in Parliament of not being diligent in their investigations upon which they made the allegations.

“If indeed the Minority and Mr Mutawakilu did any checks, then they were not diligent in their work at all. As a Minority, they have a myriad of means available to them to get information when needed. We wish to underline the fact that these allegations are false and that the Minority and Mr Mutawakilu are either being dishonest in this matter or were not diligent at all in their search for information,” the ministry stressed.

On the claims that the PURC is contemplating a major increase in electricity tariffs, the ministry stated that “the PURC has not communicated its intention to increase tariff. A major review of tariffs does not necessarily mean an increase, as indicated by the Minority.”