Ghana: Press spotlights 23.5% inflation rate for January 2024, others

APA – Accra (Ghana)
The report by the Ghana Statistical Service that inflation rate experienced a slight uptick in January 2024, reaching 23.5 percent is one of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Thursday.
The Graphic reports that in the recent data released by the Ghana Statistical Service, inflation experienced a slight uptick in January 2024, reaching 23.5 percent, marking a return to its upward trend after five consecutive months of decline.
Government Statistician Samuel Kobina Annim announced on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, that annual inflation had risen from 23.2 percent in December.
The increase in year-on-year inflation was primarily attributed to a significant surge in non-food items, including housing, clothing, and transport. Non-food inflation rose to 20.5 percent in January 2024, up from 18.7 percent in December 2023.
However, food inflation continued its downward trajectory, albeit marginally, dropping to 27.1 percent in January 2024 from 28.7 percent in December 2023.
In terms of month-on-month inflation, food inflation stood at 1.6 percent, while non-food inflation was estimated at 2.4 percent.
Seven divisions reported inflation rates higher than the national average, notably Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco, and Narcotics (38.5 percent); Personal Care, Social Protection, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (32.0 percent); and Restaurants and Accommodation Services (29.2 percent).
Regarding food inflation, ten out of fifteen Sub-Classes registered inflation rates exceeding the overall food inflation of 28.7 percent, with Cocoa Drinks (73.5 percent) and Tea and related products (71.2 percent) among those recording the highest rates.
The newspaper says that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday nominated 23 ministers of state and their deputies to take over from those who have been reassigned or relieved of their duties, chief among whom are the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Greater Accra Minister, Henry Quartey.
He subsequently wrote to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, hoping that “Parliament will, once again, on a bi-partisan basis, expedite the approval of the nominees, so they can join the government forthwith and assist in the delivery of his mandate for his second term in office.”
The Speaker has since referred the list of nominees to the Appointments Committee of Parliament for consideration and approval.
Those nominated as ministers of state include a former Deputy Minister of Health and Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Bernard Okoe Boye.
He takes over from 68-year-old Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Member of Parliament for Dormaa Central, who, like the others, had not tasted a reshuffle in the past seven years.
The MP for Mfantseman, Ophelia Mensah Hayford, is for Environment, Science and Technology. She takes over from Dr Kwaku Afriyie.
A former Deputy Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, is supposed to fill the shoes of her boss, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who has been reassigned to the Ministry of Works and Housing, while 39-year-old newcomer, Dakoa Newman, goes to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
Another new entrant, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, who is the Second Deputy Majority Chief Whip, has been nominated for the Sanitation and Water Resources Ministry and Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, a former Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, has been nominated as substantive minister for the same portfolio.
The Deputy Minister of Energy, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has been elevated from the Energy Ministry to the position of a substantive Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, while a former Deputy Minister of Transport, Titus Glover, takes over from the Greater Accra Minister, Henry Quartey, who has been reassigned to the Interior Ministry.
The Assistant Registrar of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Daniel Machator, a minister designate for the Oti Region, completes the ministers’ list.
The Ghanaian Times reports that hundreds of disgruntled football fans yesterday took part in a planned demonstration against officials of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) over the state of Ghana football.
Led by Sports Broadcasters, Saddick Adams (Obama) and Patrick Osei Agyemang (Songo), the fans walked from the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and ended it at the Black Stars Square after their original rout was altered by the police.
After an original plan to present petitions to Parliament, the GFA and Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) was thwarted, the demonstrators were directed to the Black Star Square where they were addressed by the leaders.
The atmosphere, however, changed when the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Evans Opoku Bobbie, ‘stormed’ the Square to receive the petition on behalf of the minister, Mustapha Ussif rather.
In the company of the GFA General Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, and Executive Commit­tee (ExCo) member, Nana Oduro Sarfo, they confronted by a group that hurled invectives at them, ‘screaming’ on top of their voices “We want GFA President, Kurt Okraku out!”
The situation was saved by the swift intervention of the police who directed them out of the Square and out of sight for the ‘charging’ demonstrators.
The newspaper says that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday said Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia cannot be trusted as the President of Ghana.
According to the NDC, Dr Bawumia was responsible for the current economic hardships Ghanaians were going through.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s head office in Adabraka, Accra, the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, asked Dr Bawumia to apologise to Ghanaians for the many unfulfilled promises of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said the NDC bequeathed to the NPP a resilient economy- two oil fields which accounted for the eight per cent economic growth in 2017, the Stabilisation Fund of $250 million, Energy Sector Levy (ESLA) of GH¢3 billion, Sinking Fund of $250 million, which the NPP used to address the covid-19 pandemic and payment of energy debts.
He, therefore, asked Ghanaians to vote against Dr Bawumia who is the flag bearer of the NPP in the December 7, 2024 general elections.
Mr Kwetey enumerated depreciation of the Ghana cedi against all international trading currencies, the promise to build 16 model schools in Zongo communities nationwide, the promise to build an airport and a harbour in Cape Coast and borrowing as some failed promises by Dr Bawumia.
The General Secretary said NPP’s constant refrain to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war against Ukraine as the cause of Ghana’s economic woes were untenable and that Ghanaians would not accept those excuses from the NPP.
Mr Kwetey noted that by 2019, the Ghanaian economy was in dire straits before Ghana recorded its first case in March 2020.
He said the 2024 election was about two futures-one that promises growth and prosperity, led by former President John Mahama, flag bearer of the NDC, and the other led by Dr Bawumia, which offers hopelessness and an endorsement of a third term for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo.
The General Secretary of the NDC said President Mahama’s restoration tour and his message to restore Ghana on the path of growth was resonating with the people.
GIK/APA