By Naa Shormei Odonkor
Koforidua, Nov. 07, GNA – Some households in Eastern Region have cut their spending on essential foods as a survival and livelihood strategy in response to mounting inflationary pressures and persistent underperformance of the Ghana cedi against major trading currencies.
While many people who spoke to the Ghana News Agency about soaring prices of basic commodities and services blamed officials for their inability to handle the difficulties of escalating market prices, others accused traders of profiting from the current fragile economic climate.
Mr Seth Akwagyiram, Head-Teacher of Aburi Amanfo M/A Junior High School (JHS), stated that although public sector pay had not been adjusted to match the prevailing economic trend, his daily spending for the upkeep of his family had neither grown nor dropped.
“Salary has not been increased, therefore, I cannot increase the upkeep money, although the prices of goods have increased beyond [my] affordability [level],” he said.
However, he indicated that the quantity of food bought for the house had reduced, stating, “We manage with the little we have with little satisfaction.”
Ms. Gladys Owusu, a 72-year-old retired senior nurse with an underlying health condition, also stated that she could not afford a three-square meal, so she reduced the number of times she was required to eat daily as a patient.
“I have reduced my feeding to twice daily, even as a hypertension patient. My pension fund is insufficient to cater for a three square meal in this current situation,” she said.
Even though she could no longer afford a three-course meal, she said that since she had a National Health Insurance card, she was being given hypertension medications at the hospital for little or no cost.
She slammed market traders for taking unfair advantage of the economic downturn to overprice their goods, saying, “I am unable to purchase bread as I am a tea lover.”
Ms. Comfort Boateng, a sugar trader at Juaben Serwaa Market in Juaben South Municipality, stated that to maintain the same amount of food for her household, she had to double the amount of money she had previously spent on food.
“I could purchase foodstuffs for GH₵100.00 that could last…three weeks, but now I need about GH200.00 or GH₵300.00 to do that,” she explained, emphasising that “the hardship is too much.”
She stated that she was unable to buy the four bags of sugar she used to due to the escalating market price, which had risen to GH₵700 and was expected to climb further.
Ms. Boateng urged the government to help reduce the high inflation for people to afford basic goods and services for their survival and livelihood.
GNA