Gideon Boako gives inconsistent electricity tariff increment figures from 2009 to 2015

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Claim: Dr Gideon Boako, the Member of Parliament for Tano North, has claimed that electricity tariffs were increased by 7.12% in 2012 under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

Verdict: False; data from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) reveals inconsistencies in the figures presented by the Member of Parliament for Tano North. Although the MP’s claims for 2009, 2013, 2014, and 2015 are accurate, the 2010, 2011, and 2012 figures are incorrect. 

Full Text 

The Member of Parliament for the Tano North constituency, Dr Gideon Boako, has made claims about electricity tariff increments from 2009 to 2015 during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) term. 

The claim was made during his submission when parliament debated the appointment committee on the first batch of nominees on Jan 21, 2025. The claim can be found from 1 hour: 23 minutes, 27 seconds to 1 hour:24 minutes, 28 seconds.

“I want to comment briefly on the Minister of Energy, John Jinapor. Something that is of utmost interest to the Ghanaian people today is electricity tariffs. I wish to remind the minister that Ghanaians would be very appreciative if he were able to work to reduce the prices of electricity tariffs. In 2009, there was no increase in electricity tariffs for electricity. In 2010, Ghanaians paid 10%; in 2011, 8.9%; in 2012, 7.4%; in 2013, 58%; in 2014, 28%; and Mr Speaker, in the heat of dumsor, we were paying 90%.”

Are these figures accurate? DUBAWA sought to bring clarity to these statements. 

Verification 

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) determines and approves utility tariffs, such as electricity, water, and gas, to ensure they are fair to consumers and service providers. 

The PURC ensures that prices for things like water and electricity are fair. They check to ensure that companies provide quality services to consumers at reasonable costs. If something goes wrong, they help fix it.

DUBAWA researched data from the commission to determine the claim’s veracity by Dr Boako. 

ELECTRICITY TARIFF INCREMENT (2009-2015)
YEARS	Tariff Increment
2009	No increment
2010	89%
2011	10%
2012	No increment
2013	58.19%
2014	28%
2015	90%

Source: PURC

Based on the data provided, it is evident that some figures presented by the Member of Parliament for the Tano North constituency are inaccurate. Specifically:

• In 2009, there was no increment in electricity tariffs, but contrary to the MP’s claim of a 10% increase in 2010, the actual increment was 89%. This can be cited on page 2, paragraph 3, of a report published by the commission in 2011. 
• In 2011, the increment was 10%, not the 8.9% stated by the MP. In August 2011, the PURC announced a 7% increase in electricity tariffs, which came into effect in September. The PURC again increased the electricity tariffs in December by 3%, bringing the total to 10% in 2011. 
• Most notably, in 2012, the MP’s claim of a 7.12% increment is false, as there was no increase that year. This is evident on page 6 of a report published by the PURC in 2020. 

While the figures for 2010 to 2012 are inaccurate, the MP’s claims for 2009, 2013, 2014, and 2015 align with the data from the PURC and are accurate.

Conclusion 

The data from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) reveals inconsistencies in the figures presented by the Member of Parliament for the Tano North constituency regarding electricity tariff increments. Although the MP’s claims for 2009, 2013, 2014, and 2015 are accurate, figures for 2010, 2011, and 2012 are incorrect. This highlights the importance of relying on verified data from credible institutions like the PURC to ensure accuracy in public discourse.