Many Ghanaian workers and residents look forward to Friday nights as the beginning of the weekend to have a nice time with friends and loved ones.
It is quite common to see people in restaurants, pubs, clubs, and other social events to fraternize and have fun, especially on weekends.
However, according to the Principal Statistician at the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), John Forster Agyaho, the rate of inflation has affected the prices of drinks and food such that people are not able to have nice weekends.
“For the past three months almost every two weeks, they increase the prices of beverages and food because maybe the utility prices have gone up. It is making our Friday nights less enjoyable” he said in an interview with Johnnie Hughes on 3FM Sunrise Morning Show.
He asked that all should put all hands on deck to make sure prices come down in order to enjoy the weekend and the other days as well.
“I think the public and the media have a lot to do. There are a lot of prices that are high not because of the necessary cost factor but because of human behavoiur. I think we should intensify the public education and awareness of inflation trends” he appealed.
Mr. Agyaho explained that the Local Authorities, District and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with the support of the media can take it up to announce or publish the prices of commodities in the markets so that consumers will get to know where things are cheaper.
This will compel traders to charge realistic prices and hence check inflation, he said.
Ghana’s inflation rate has gone up marginally to 42.2% in May from 41.2 % recorded in April 2023 as food prices soared. Annual price growth quickened to 42.2% from 41.2% in April. Food inflation witnessed a sharp rise to 51.8% last month from 48.7% in April and non-food price growth decelerated to 34.6% from 35.4%.
Government Statistician Samuel Kobina Annim gave these updates in Kumasi on Wednesday, June 14. He indicated that prices rose 4.8% in the month with the Western North and Ashanti recording the highest and lowest inflation rates respectively.
By Samuel Afriyie Owusu|3news.com|Ghana