The projected rise in electricity bills by Ghana's utility firms has angered some citizens in the Northern Region.
The firms, according to the citizens, do not deserve any raises because of the unsatisfactory service they continue to provide.
Last month, major utility firms such as the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Ghana Electricity Company, among others, proposed new pricing modifications that sparked widespread public outrage.
Through its public forums, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission [PURC] began engaging Ghanaians. PURC has hosted four public forums to date, with the Tamale forum bringing the total to five.
In an interview with JoyNews, a citizen, Alhassan Imoro, questioned the moral basis of utility providers seeking an increase since they neglected to consult consumers first before announcing the proposed increase, claiming that the rise would exacerbate Ghanaians' burden.
"If you proposed your objectives without consulting the people, you're going to fail because we should have been consulted before the increase; you walk into people's houses and see standpipes for three months with no water and they bring invoices at the end of the month."
This rate increase is unattainable for me since we do not receive the services we pay for," he stated.
Another resident, Yahaya Yussif, stated that the planned tariffs are unpopular since they do not represent the services provided by the utility providers.
"We've seen that VRA and NEDCo, for example, have been modifying their pricing in recent times, but with poor service delivery; practically all villages inside Tamale are receiving low power, which is destroying our electronics," he stated.
Mr. Yahaya, on the other hand, advised energy companies to focus on ways to enhance their services rather than passing on more expenses to consumers who, he claimed, already pay too much.
Ahmed Rufai, a clean water manufacturer, expressed his dissatisfaction with the high cost of raw materials and water treatment.
"I'm a sachet water manufacturer, and if I want to expand my market, I need to enhance the quality of my water rather than raising the price and expecting customers.
"I need customers to buy so I can make money before I enhance my water," he explained.
At the seminar, Kofi Kapito, the Chief Executive Officer of the Consumers Protection Agency, urged utility suppliers to seek payment from government institutions and private persons to assist them overcome their financial difficulties.
"You use it, you pay it," he explained, "and everyone in Ghana is entitled to both use and pay, it's as simple as that, and that's justice."
Mr. Kapito warned Ghanaians against relying too heavily on the government for handouts. According to him, the government does not provide anything for free.
"It is not free when the government orders PURC not to push it on or pass it on to consumers."