Due to rises in the cost of fuel, transportation, farm input devices, and other variables, the prices of several goods in the Northern Region’s Tamale metropolis and Sagnarigu municipality are still skyrocketing.
Since the start of the year, prices have fluctuated, which has caused problems for business owners, locals, government employees, and private workers who have had to work harder to make ends meet because they have not received pay raises or other forms of compensation.
Concerns about price increases for goods and services, school fees, electricity bills, and housing have also been voiced by some merchants and locals. This has put pressure on families to constantly look for help in order to satisfy their necessities.
They pointed out that there may be a poor chance of the nation meeting any of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2023 if legislators choose not to address the problems.
While some felt that during election seasons, prices for products and services should decrease, others were concerned about the rate at which fuel prices, energy bills, and other economic elements are rising without an official statement from the government explaining the situation.
Prices of staple foods like maize, soy beans, cowpeas, and vegetables are rising, according to market survey data that the Business and Financial Times (B&FT) gathered from the market and a few malls in the city and municipality.
The majority of vendors and customers in Tamale depend on the Burkina Faso vegetables that are sold.
A bowl of Jasmine local rice which used to be GH¢15 now goes for GH¢30.00; Nasia from GH¢30 to GH¢40;, ginger from GH¢20 to GH¢30 per bowl; maize from GH¢15 to GH¢30; a crate of eggs from GH¢18 to GH¢30, depending on the size; Frytol oil 4.5L was GH¢65 but is now GH¢110.00; Ideal milk 30ml was GH¢4.50 but now GH¢6; brown sugar 1kg was GH¢12 and is now GH¢20; Royal Aroma Rice 5kg was GH¢45 but is now GH¢95 while Lele is GH¢95-150; and Voltic Cool Pac medium goes for GH¢32 and big size GH¢34.
Some vegetables have witnessed price increases: an olonka of tomatoes, which was previously sold for GH¢30, is now sold for GH¢50; pepper, which was previously sold for GH¢45, is now sold for GH¢60; and three carrot fingers, which were previously sold for GH¢6, are now now priced at GH¢12.
Additionally, the prices of some food commodities, such as rice, yam, and maize, have increased. For example, the price of a bag of rice has increased from GH¢30 per 5 kg to GH¢90–150 per 5 kg, depending on the brand; three yam tubers have gone from GH¢10 to GH¢20.
Tamale is strategically located in the Northern Region, and with this strategic location the metropolis and municipality have market potential for local goods from the agricultural and commerce sectors from other districts in the region.
Some of these food commodities are from Burkina Faso, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin, among others.
Some hospitality operators have expressed worry, saying their investment always go back to the market due to the continuous increments in market prices.
Ellen Amoakoh of Ellen Ventures – a provisions shop – also expressed worry about the price increments of commodities resulting in low patronage.
“When we make low sales, it affects our businesses because we have to look for money to pay the utility and rent bills,” she added.
Executive Director-Del Cusine, Stanley Cowther, said the continuous hikes in prices are affecting the industry and businesses, and therefore called on government to aid the plight of local businesses in the region.
The Northern Regional Agricultural officer for Statistics and Research, Alhassan Abdul-Fatau, in an interview with the B&FT said the regional office is making efforts for the farmers to cultivate enough crops to feed the populace.
“With the current market prices, we cannot so anything because it is a national issue; but what the office can do is supervise farmers to increase production and harvest enough to feed the nation,” he said.