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Central Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwamena Duncan on Wednesday, asked government not to take the 10-day ultimatum from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for granted. According to him, if government and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) take it for granted, the economy might go from bad to worse. TUC at a press conference Tuesday issued a 10-day ultimatum to PURC and government to cut utility tariffs by a third or face a nationwide strike. According to them, government and the PURC should divide the 78.9% increment in electricity and 50% increment in water into three parts; 1/3 in every year. This is because the percentage increment according to them is too high and will put a strain on the pocket of the ordinary Ghanaian. TUC also accused the PURC of failing to implement a systematic tariff increases agreed three years ago at a meeting but rather went ahead to pile huge tariff increases on workers. Kwamena Duncan told Kwami Sefa-Kayi, host of �Kokrokooo� programme that if government pays deaf ears to TUC�s call, workers can lay down their tools �and that will affect the country whose economy is already sick� �PURC and other stakeholders should sit down and come to an agreement�already we have a very sick economy and so if workers would decide to put down their tools, it will affect the country. Government must not take the 10-day ultimatum for granted at all� he added. Even though he felt the TUC were sluggish in the past, he feels it is good that they have decided to come to the aid of the ordinary Ghanaian for government and the PURC to reduce the utility tariff increment. �TUC generally, has been a sleeping lion for some time� If for all this while, they have decided that this is a critical time to stand up against government; that�s okay. It is a giant now beginning to get out of its slumber� he added. He also charged the TUC not to engage in mere rhetoric; talking with no action. To him, issuing the ultimatum does not mean the end of the road to him; �they should follow it to the latter and ensure that government acts; it must not just be issuing of statement�