Increment in transportation results in high prices of food items

Prices of food items in the Greater Accra Region continue to increase following the upward adjustment of petroleum prices.

Some traders at the Agbogbloshie market in Accra who spoke to the GNA on Friday said transport fares had gone up and this is reflecting on the prices of their wares and appealed to the government to put in place mechanism that would check unreasonable increment in transport fares.

Mrs. Felicia Ankra, a vegetable seller told the GNA that high transportation costs reflected on the prices of their items.

Ms Millicent Koney, a maize seller said a bag of maize which used to sell between GH¢70 and GH¢80 before Christmas now sells at between GH¢140 and GH¢200.

“Previously maize was the cheapest cereal in the country. A lot of traders from our neighboring countries trooped here to buy maize but things have changed. It is shocking that things have changed within a twinkle of an eye,” she said.

Ms Koney said transportation costs from Agbogbloshie to Sunyani, Yenchi, Kintampo and Kumasi to buy maize had gone up and an American tin of maize is now selling between GH¢3 and GH¢3.5 instead of GH¢1.5 and GH¢ 1.8 previously.

Mr Issaka Mohammed told the GNA that four to five pieces of onions are now going for between GH¢2 and GH¢5 instead of GH50p and GHc1.