Inflation returns to double digits

By Fred Sarpong

The year-on-year inflation rate for March 2013 was 10.4%, up from 10% recorded in February, this year. This is the highest since June 2010. This inflation is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

This means that the general price level went up by 10.4% over the one year period from March 2012 to March 2013.

The monthly change rate for March 2013 was 1.7%. This means that the general price level went up by 1.7% for the one month period between February 2013 and March 2013. The monthly rate for February 2013 was 2.6%.

Dr. Philomena Nyarko, the acting Government Statistician announced this to the media in Accra last week. She stated that the year-on-year non-food inflation rate was 13.2%. The rate for February 2013 was 12.6%.

The year-on-year food inflation rate was 5.5%, up from 5.3% rate recorded for February 2013. Thus year-on-year non-food inflation rate was about two and a half times that of the food inflation rate.

She indicated that the main drivers of the non-food inflation rate were miscellaneous goods and services 16.5%, transport 15.7%, clothing and footwear 15.3%, education 15.1% housing, water, electricity, gas and other utilities 14.5%.

Meanwhile, milk, cheese and eggs 15.2%; mineral water, soft drinks and juices 14.5%; sugar, jam, honey, syrups, chocolate and confectionary 11.3%; meat 10.6%; oil and fats 10.4% were the main drivers that pushed food inflation to 5.5%.

Greater Accra recorded the highest inflation rate of 12.2% while Western region had the lowest rate of 8.2%. Other regional inflation rates were Ashanti 11.2%; Northern 10.5%; Volta 9.6%; Eastern 9.6%; Brong Ahafo 9.5%; Upper East and Upper West 9.5%; and Central 9.5%.

Comments

Shortage of weighing cards hit major hospitals in Accra

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong- Daily Express There is scarcity of Child Health Records Book (weighing cards), in some major public hospitals in the capital, information reaching the Daily Express indicates. Checks by this paper revealed that while some of the hospitals have being encountering the shortage for about a year now, others started experiencing it six months ago. In place of the Child Health Record Book (weighing card), the nursing mothers are given a single card on which information of children are recorded on it. Those hospitals identified are the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle Bu Polyclinic, Kaneshie Polyclinic, Adabraka Polyclinic and the Ridge Hospital. At the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the nursing mothers are given yellow cards in place of the weighing cards. The Public Relations Secretariat at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital said such information has not come to their notice and for that matter they cannot comment on it. “We do not have some

90 African Journalists entertain by Disney Africa

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong- Daily Express Mauritius Disney Africa welcomed 90 journalists from across Africa to their first ever showcase to media from the continent, at this year’s Multichoice Africa Content Showcase Extravaganza. On Thursday 3 September, guests received a Disney Movie ticket which gained them entry to the special outdoor screening, set under the stars on the lawns of the idyllic Outrigger Beach Resort in Mauritius . After receiving their own Disney picnic basket and blankets, full of delicious treats and filling food, the guests made their way to the seating area, replete with comfortable chairs and loungers. Once the Disney fans were settled, the vast outdoor screen lit up and the evening’s festivities were well under way. A welcome speech by Deirdre King, Head of Marketing for the Walt Disney Company Africa, preceded the screening of two animated shorts. The first, the Academy Award-nominated Get a Horse, featured Disney favourites like Mickey, Minni

ABL launches chibuku super in Bolgatanga

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong sarpong007@gmail.com Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) has officially launched the Chibuku Super drink at Bolgatanga in the Upper East region with the aim of reaching a lot of customers. Mr. Thomas Nii Ponku, Supervisor in charge of Chibuku Super at ABL told Daily Express that the management decided to launch the Chibuku Super drink in the Upper East region because they’ve realized it is similar to a traditional drink in the region. “Chibuku is like a well developed pito, a traditional drink made from fermented millet or sorghum in the Northern part of Ghana. So the idea is to provide them with similar drink,” he added. Mr. Nii Ponku disclosed this when members of the Institute of Finance and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) toured the facility of ABL to acquaint themselves with the expansion project at the factory. He mentioned that after a feasibility study, they realized there is a potential market for the product in the northern part of Ghana

SARPONG'S BLOG

Search This Blog