An acute shortage of petrol and some assorted drinks in the Upper West Region paralysed the New Year celebrations, as the situation impeded the activities of most Christians and other celebrants in the region.
While many people could not go out with families and relatives due to the shortage of petrol, those who managed to so could not get their choices of drinks to take as there was shortage of Guinness, both malta Guinness and Amstel Malt and all coca-cola products.
As a result, a few people who had some of these products sold them at very exorbitant prices.
Some drinking bar operators who had limited stock sold a bottle of Guinness for 5,000 cedis instead of 4,500 cedis and a bottle of Coca-cola at 2,500 cedis instead of 1,500 cedis.
Although there was shortage of petrol in the region for about three days some people got some for 15,000 cedis a gallon instead of 10,500 cedis.
Few commercial drivers who had petrol had a field day as they cashed in on their clients by charging unapproved fares.
Most of the fuel dealers the GNA spoke to attributed the shortage to the refusal of tanker drivers to come up to the region because they felt they might delay in the region due to the bad nature of the roads.
They were however, hopeful that the situation would improve soon after the festivities.
According to Mr Samuel Abaatu, Ghana Breweries Limited representative for both Upper West and Upper East regions who spoke to the GNA said it was only Breweries that could determine the prices of drinks and not bar keepers.
