Mr Offei Ayisi, a retired civil servant at Atibie in the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region on Monday described the recent increases in electricity and water tariffs as "a big blow to workers".
He said the tariffs were just too high and would make the 10 per cent salary adjustment for public workers and the Single Spine Salary Structure worthless.
Mr Ayisi made the observation at a forum organised by the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana Water Company Limited to explain to consumers in the area, the reasons why it had become necessary for the two companies to raise their tariffs.
He said although the companies needed more monies to provide better services by replacing obsolete equipment, they should have given a second thought of its effect on the national economy, especially industries, small-scale businesses and the poor workers who are finding things difficult to make ends meet.
Mr Ayisi said the two companies could solve their problems by collecting the huge amount of debts owned by some organisations and illegal
connection of power and water as well as reduce wastage in their operations.
He appealed to the general public to offer information on illegal connections of utility services to assist the two companies to reverse their revenue losses through such criminal acts.