Dr Wereko-Brobby prosecuting government agenda - NPP Vice Chair

Former Volta River Authority CEO, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby

First Ashanti Regional Vice Chairman of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Nsankyiri has accused a Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, suspended member of the party of opposing a key government agenda by criticizing the budget statement on electricity tariff reduction.

According to him, Dr. Wereko-Brobby is always in bed with elements in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to make policies of the government look bad in the eyes of some Ghanaians.

“Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby is more NDC than NPP”, the Ashanti Regional NADMO Boss alleged on Kumasi-based Nhyira FM’s morning show hosted by Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin.

Kwabena Nsankyire’s allegation comes after the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Volta River Authority (VRA) described the government’s decision to announce a reduction electricity tariff as needless.

The former CEO of the Volta River Authority (VRA) is of the view that, the disclosure made by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta that there will be an average reduction of up to 13 percent in electricity tariffs for residential and industrial consumers clearly undermines the work of the Public Utility Regulatory Commission, PURC.

According to Dr Wereko-Brobby, the government does not have the mandate to make a recommendation to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on possible cuts in utility costs as the Commission had the sole mandate of setting the tariffs.

“Since 1997, we’ve had the PURC whose job it is to determine the methodology and the applicable rates, and also undertake three-monthly reviews of the tariffs in line with the changing circumstances such as price of fuel and the types of fuel mix that are being used by various generators, and the tariffs that are paid to the various generators”, the suspended NPP member pointed out.

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, during the 2018 budget reading in Parliament stated that the government had revised the tariff-setting methodology and the cost structure for power production.

But in a radio interview, the former Chief Executive Officer of VRA said the government could make proposals to the regulatory body about a possible reduction in the tariffs, citing possible changes in the cost of production but not make recommendations and announce it in a budget.