Upper West NPP expresses worry over high cost of living

Wa, Sept 7, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper West Region has said the cost of living in the country was rising and the government's pontification that it had achieved economic success is a mere political propaganda."

A statement by Mr. James Dugrah, Regional Communication Officer, said irrespective of the claim that inflation was dropping, the price of stable foodstuffs in the Upper West Region were skyrocketing 93in this rainy season where foodstuffs were suppose to be in abundance."

Mr. Dugrah said a cursory look at the prices of some foodstuffs and the basic commodities in the market had shown that Ghanaians were suffering and finding life extremely difficult to cope with. "Prices of foodstuffs are astronomically high despite the fact that we are in the harvesting season,"he said.

Mr. Dugrah said a bag of maize that used to sell at 130. 00 Ghana cedis in 2009 when inflation rate was 19 per cent had increased to 200.00 Ghana cedis in 2011 with a reduced inflation rate at 8.39 per cent.

A bag of flour that was sold at 39.00 Ghana cedis in 2009 is now being sold at 83.00 Ghana cedis while a new motorbike now sells at 1,300.00 Ghana cedis as against 658.00 Ghana cedis in 2009.

Mr Dugrah said a bag of sugar which was selling at 37.00 Ghana cedis is now being sold at 95.00 Ghana cedis. Consumers now buy standard rice at 87.00 Ghana cedis instead of 38.00 Ghana cedis in 2009.

Similarly, a bag of cement which used to cost 11.00 Ghana cedis is now being sold at 17.00 Ghana cedis while that of key soap and liquefied gas had increased from 1.40 Ghana cedis and 12.00 Ghana cedis to 3.00 Ghana cedis and 17.00 Ghana cedis respectively.

Mr. Dugrah said it is the belief of the NPP that the NDC was making efforts to maintain and sustain single digit inflation but inflicting triple digit poverty on the good people of the Upper West Region in particular and on Ghanaians in general.

He therefore called on the good people of Ghana to reject the "miser economic managers" and bring back the NPP which believed in empowering the people to be financially sound.