The leader of the All People's Congress, Mr. Hassan Ayariga, has promised to provide free water and electricity without meters to all citizens when voted into power. This he said when he addressed a rally in Accra.
Speaking before a mammoth of enthusiastic supporters, Ayariga lambasted the current government for mismanaging utility services and termed the existing metering system a blockade in access to basic resources. "No Ghanaian should have to pay for water or electricity based on a meter. These are basic human rights, and under an APC government, we will make sure that no citizen is deprived of these vital services with any kind of fees," he said.
The proposal by Ayariga involves establishing a state-funded system that would handle the utility services directly, with no need for meters; this makes access to water and electricity universally free. He said this initiative is meant to help eradicate poverty and improve living standards among all Ghanaians, especially the less privileged ones.
Critics have questioned how such a program would be financed and delivered, but Ayariga said a thorough reassessment of current spending would free up funds for just such a scheme. "We will make sure our priorities match the needs of the people instead of wasteful spending," he said.
This has elicited excitement and skepticism in equal measure from the electorate. To the supporters, it is revolutionary to attain social justice while on the other hand, its opponents are concerned about the economic implications that might come along with the implementation of such a far-reaching policy.
Utility access, as highlighted in Ayariga's proposal, is likely to feature large in the political discourse in the run-up to the election. The APC would thus strike a chord with people who might have been feeling alienated and dissatisfied enough to want change. A promise for meter-free water and electricity remains the salient feature in the APC led by Ayariga, who wishes to represent the cause of the commoner.
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