WASHINGTON: Inflation has gone up for the first time this year – after a three-time consecutive decline which saw the rate shoot up to 13 percent in April. This represents an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared with the rate of 12.8 percent recorded in March. This means, prices of goods and services though continue to increase, the rate of increase in April was higher than that recorded in March. Explaining the factors for the rate, Acting Government Statistician, Baah Wadieh noted the sharp increase in transportation and Communication Services are the biggest drivers for the rate. “Transport recorded the highest inflation rate 24.9 percent followed by Recreation and Culture with 22.3 percent, furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance with 21.9 percent, Miscellaneous goods and services with 16.8 percent and clothing and footwear 16.7 percent,” he said.
At the regional level, Greater Accra continued to record the highest inflation rate with 14.2 percent in April while Volta Region recorded the lowest of 10.7 percent. The food and non-alcoholic beverages group recorded a year on year inflation rate of 6.7 percent this is 0.6 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in March. “In April 2017, the year on year inflation rate for imported items was 15.0 percent, 2.8 percentage points higher than that of locally produced items which recorded 12.2 percent,” he concludes. In all, four regions including Greater Accra, Upper West, Brong Ahafo, and Ashanti recorded inflation rates higher than the national average.
