The Ghana Hotels Association’s protest against excessive electricity tariffs has been temporarily halted due to the police’s refusal to provide demonstrators with security.

The Ghana Hotels Association initially intended to organize a march through Accra’s streets to draw attention to rising utility rates and to voice their complaints to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).

The protest was spurred by a stunning 167% increase in water tariffs that took effect in February 2023, resulting in significant financial pressures on numerous hotels throughout the region.

Their attempts to communicate with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission and promote a reevaluation of the tariff situation have not succeeded in producing any noticeable results.

Since all that was requested was a review of utility rates and no aggressive demands were made, the Association has stated that it would continue to bargain with the authorities for a resolution.

If the police wouldn’t protect them, it was stated that the members would turn to other methods.

Speaking to the media, Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike, president of the Ghana Hotels Association, said, hotels are running into debt due to the high tariffs charges.

“Our particular issue is with the adjustment that was done for February that increased the tariff that is our focus and that has created debts for the hotels. So we want that one to be reversed to what it was. Reverse it first and then do the 8.3 per cent and if you can now talk about new rates, that’s a whole different ball game.

He added that “Our focus is not on the new adjustment that is starting from the 1st even though that is a discussion for another day because it means that the rates are high. So either way there is an issue.”