Kofi Tonto, political aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pushed back against claims that recent electricity and water tariff hikes are a result of conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), accusing the current government and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of misleading the public.

In a statement on his official Facebook page, Mr. Tonto clarified that while the IMF encourages periodic tariff reviews to ensure cost-reflective pricing, it does not mandate automatic increases.

“Do not allow anyone to lie to you that IMF adjustments necessarily mean increments.

It does not!” he wrote. “The IMF’s call for review does not automatically mean an increment.

It is a call to ensure that tariffs are realistic and sustainable.”

He referenced the first quarter of 2024 under the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, pointing out that tariffs were actually reduced for both residential and non-residential users, with water tariffs remaining unchanged.

To further challenge the narrative, Mr. Tonto cited an example from 2018 under the Akufo-Addo government—also operating under an IMF programme—when electricity tariffs were slashed by 17.5%.

“If in 2018 tariffs were reduced under an IMF arrangement, how can one claim the IMF only demands increases?

The facts simply don’t support that,” he stated.

Contrasting the NPP’s record with that of the NDC, he noted that while the NPP implemented a 6.47% overall electricity tariff increase in 2024, the NDC government has approved a sharper 14.75% hike.

Mr. Tonto urged Ghanaians to examine the facts critically and resist being swayed by political narratives that shift blame onto international institutions.

“There is science behind tariff reviews, yes—but there’s also a responsibility to apply a human face to the decisions.

That’s what the NPP demonstrated, and that’s what must continue,” he concluded