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Organized labour to hit streets on January 20

This is to mount pressure on government to revise, what Organized Labour calls triple barrelled- increases in utility tariffs and taxes.

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Organized Labour has finally taken a decision to hit the street come Wednesday January 20, 2016  in a nationwide demonstration.

This is to mount pressure on government to revise, what Organized Labour calls triple- barrelled increases in utility tariffs and taxes.

In a press conference organised Friday morning, Organized labour said the economic situation that pushed Ghanaian workers to hit the streets in 2014 have not improved. Inflation at the time was running at 15% with a 23% removal of subsidy on petroleum products. If anything, it has become worse with inflation now at 17.7%they claim.

In December 2015, the PURC announced a 67 and 59 per cent in electricity and water tariffs respectively. There was also the imposition of an energy sector levy which ballooned the prices of petroleum products to an average of 30 per cent.

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There was also the increase in income tax. In the midst of increases in taxes and utility prices the allegations of corruption appears to be increasing with some scandals, including a 3.6 million cedis  bus branding scandals.

Workers say they have had enough of the taxes and increases in utility prices and want government to reduce the taxes.

Organized Labour is also making a final decision on the demonstration after earlier negotiations with government broke down.

Labour wanted utility prices cut down to 50% across board as against the 59% for electricity and 69 for water, but but government insisted on 54%, Joy News' Kwetey Nartey reported.

They also wanted to have the energy sector levy completely scrapped but government will have none of that.

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The workers have vowed to hit the streets on Wednesday to force the hand of government to soften its stance.

TUC Secretary General Kofi Asamoah told the media "we are left with no option than to hit the streets to express outrage."

"Government has lost touch with the economic realities of the people," he stated, condemning the hikes in utility prices as well as taxes.

He said after the demonstration they will be gauging government response and are likely to begin a nationwide strike if government remains intransigent.

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