Ghanaians have been urged to brace themselves for a spike in prices of foodstuff as the Niger coup gradually takes its toll on the importation of the commodity.
Interacting with JoyNews’ Evans Mensah, some traders at the Mallata Market stated that most of the ingredients needed for the preparation of the Ghanaian staples are imported from Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Togo.
Thus, with the reign of military authorities who have restricted movement in their various countries, transportation of the commodity has become tedious and expensive.
Ghana’s inflation rate has soared yet again and with food inflation being the major contributor, traders and buyers at the Mallata Market spoke on JoyNews’ PM Express: Market Edition to get first-hand information to ascertain what could be the cause of the spate of food inflation.
At the abattoir, the butcher revealed to JoyNews that the prices of meat will see a significant increment should the Niger coup continue to impose restrictions in the West African country.
According to him, this is because Ghana’s major suppliers of livestock animals are from Niger and Togo, noting that consumers of the product will soon start feeling the pinch of the impediment in supply.
He, however, added that “meat at the moment is in abundance. Togo is still supplying us with animals, it is Niger that has become a problem for now.”
“So we’re hoping the coup situation is resolved as soon as possible else prices would increase due to scarcity,” he said on Monday.
On the part of a yam seller, she revealed that this period is the yam season hence prices have been reduced.
However, she complained about the cost of transporting their product to the urban markets.
She said that the cost incurred sometimes makes it difficult to significantly reduce the prices.
A buyer who interacted with JoyNews complained about how much more money he spends to purchase the exact quantity of food he used to buy.
“I used to buy my fufu and others at GH₵30.00 now I spend GH₵60,” he lamented.
