Cousin of President Akufo-Addo, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko has chided Ghanaian traders and market women who are driving what he calls “artificial inflation” in Ghana where prices are fixed as if private jet was used to transport goods.
According to Mr. Otchere Darko, it doesn’t make sense to him that a plantain bought at 50 Ghana Cedis from Kintampo is sold for 450 or 500 Ghana Cedis in Accra, as if a private jet was used to transport it.
The former Danquah Institute boss’ reaction comes following the year-on-year inflation rate of 27.6% inching towards 30% driven largely by fuel prices with diesel selling above 65 Ghana Cedis a gallon. He described the inflation situation as artificial and called for a collective action to address the issue without touching the market directly.
He was speaking on Town Hall Talk on Asaase monitored by MyNewsGh.com.
“What explains that you can buy a bunch of plantain at Kintampo or wherever it comes from at Ghc50 and then when it gets to Accra it is Ghc450 or Ghc500?” Gabby queried.
He told host Kofi Abotsi it is not true that the high pricing is caused by supply chain problems.
“There is some artificial element to it. Are you saying that we have seen the price of fuel go up 500%, 600%? No. It hasn’t happened” he stressed.
“We in Ghana … we believe in Ghana that it [inflation] is artificial…. in a sense you cannot explain to me why you buy plantain for Ghc50 [and sell for Ghc500] why are you using a private jet to transport from Kintampo to Accra?” He asked.
Gabby Otchere Darko proposed a solution.
“My understanding is that government must find a way to tackle it. We need to inject some form of reality into the market without touching the market. If you have a situation where you can mobilize the trucks to go and bring the goods to the market queens…. this will ensure the real market price is there so that some people don’t take undue advantage of inflation to turn it into some form of hyperinflation which we will all suffer from.”
Source: MyNewsGh.com