Traders and consumers at the Kaneshie and Agbogbloshie Markets have expressed worry about the recent 30 percent increase in fuel prices by government that has led to an increment in the price of most items, especially food.
The increment in food prices is negatively affecting most Ghanaians in cities and urban areas. Araba Mensah, an onion seller at the Kaneshie Market, told City & Business Guide that a sack of onion is now selling at GH¢420.
“The recent increase in fuel prices has affected everything, including salt fish,” she added.
She pointed out that four to five pieces of onions are now going for between GH¢2 and GH¢5, instead of GH50p and GH¢1 previously. “Customers complain bitterly anytime they are served with the amount of onions they buy claiming it’s outrageous.
“One can easily recognize the anguish on customers’ faces the moment they are served, but there is nothing that we can do since we also buy at a higher price” she noted.
A tomato seller at Kaneshie Market, who pleaded anonymity, complained bitterly to CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE about how the price of a box of tomato has increased within these few days. She explained that a box of tomato is now being sold at GH¢120 to GH¢150 respectively.
According to her, due to the increase in the price traders have no choice than to reduce the quantity in other to get profit. She hinted that three or four pieces of tomatoes are being sold for GH¢1 to GH¢ 2, instead of GH50p. “Due to the high price lately many people are not purchasing our products and have resulted in rotting,’’ she added.
She noted that sellers of various commodities are facing similar problems at the market. “If nothing is done about the situation, we may be forced to suspend all our businesses to avoid extra cost,” she noted. When this happens it would increase the unemployment rate in the country.
She revealed that fish mockers, plantain and cassava sellers, among others, are all suffering, pointing out that taxi and trotro drivers are making matters worse by charging abnormal fares, and when you ask for a reduction, they rein insults on you.
“How can we take care of our children if things continue to be like this. Is this the ‘Better Ghana’ agenda President Mills promised us?” “Utilities bills are killing us, and the recent increment in fuel prices that has affected both consumer goods and perishable goods,” she noted.
A survey conducted by City & Business Guide at the Agbogbloshie market revealed that prices of food items have increased considerably. A tuber of yam is now being sold at GH¢ 3 and GH¢ 4 respectively. Three tubers of yam now goes for between GH ¢14 and GH¢16.
Aminatu Ibrahim, a yam seller at the market, stated that due to the increase in the price of foodstuffs, most customers prefer to buy gari instead of the yam. This development, she said, is endangering them since most of the yams are rioting, bringing an extra cost to them.
The paper gathered that a bag of rice is being sold at GH¢ 650 instead of GH¢540, a gallon of oil is now going for GH¢19 instead of GH 16, one pound of goat meat is now being sold at GH¢ 3.30 pesewa instead of the previous price of GH¢ 2.80p.
Aminatu Ibrahim and her colleagues are appealing to the government to put proper measures in place to save them from this hardship.
“We voted for the then candidate Mills because his promises during the 2008 campaign sound so juicy, thinking something good will come out of his administration but what do we see, abject poverty has engulf Ghanaians for the past two years,” she lamented.