By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Minority Leader, Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson has asserted that the projections and statistics on the food situation in Ghana is grim and mind-boggling and something needs to be done in order to reverse the trends.
According to him, the World Food Programme report for March 2024, has shown that more than one million Ghanaians are likely to face food insecurity between now and August this year because of rising food prices and “high food prices are not the only challenge facing Ghanaians but food shrink inflation, where food vendors maintain their prices but reduce the quantity or the size of their portions, is also the order of the day”.
A situation that has caused the Minority to raise questions about the government flagship project: Planting for food and jobs as he takes his turn to welcome his colleagues the fourth session of the eighth Parliament of the fourth Republic by suggesting that, what has happened to the billions of Ghana Cedis approved by this house for the government’s so-called flagship programme, planting for food and jobs? Where is the food? And where are the jobs? Were they planting for high food prices and joblessness?”
In his submission, the Minority notes “the price of a bucket of tomatoes which was sold at GHS75 at the beginning of this year, now sells at GHS180, an increase of 140%; The price of a crate of tomatoes increased by more than 360% between January and June this year when the price increased from GHS1,500 to GHS7,000;
In a matter of one week, the price of a sack of onions jumped from GHS600 to GHS1050, an increase of nearly 100%; 1 sack of kokonte which was sold for GHS900 in December 2023, now sells at GHS1,100.
This means in just five months, the price of kokonte has gone up by 22.2% and; A tuber of yam which was sold for GHS25 in December 2023 is now going for GHS30. This represents a 20% increase in the price.
He also accused the current administration of superintending over, “a sustained hardship” and currently, “a 5kg bag of rice which sold for GHS170 in December 2023 now goes for GHS185. This means the price has gone up by approximately 9%”.
“I am sure those of you who have bought Ga Kenkey or Nkran dokon lately, will
appreciate the food shrinkflation that I am talking about. Mr Speaker, kurom ay3 hye. Times are very hard! Ghanaians are suffering!”
