PRICES OF GOODS SOAR IN TEMA (Page 31)

Story: Rose Hayford Darko & Davina Darko-Mensah, Tema

AS the Christmas season draws closer, what has been perceived as an annual ritual of price hikes has once again reared its head. Prices of goods on the market have been inflated.
This came to light when market women at the Tema Community One Market interacted with the Minister of Trade, Industry, President’s Special Initiatives and Private Sector Development, Mr Joe Baidoo Ansah, paid a working visit to the market to ascertain reasons why prices have gone up.
Retailers of rice, oil, Milo, milk and sugar among others, claimed that the producers and wholesalers of the products increased their prices when the energy crisis was over and they believed this was to take care of costs that they incurred during the crisis.
They further explained that currently, the economic situation in the country was unbearable and therefore sales had slowed down. Some others complained that due to the increase in fuel prices transport fares had also been increased and therefore carrying vegetables and goods from the rural areas had become more expensive.
Mr Baidoo-Ansah appealed to the traders to ensure that consumers bought goods at affordable prices this Christmas.
He said the government had not increased prices and therefore it would be out of place for traders to increase prices of these goods. He stated that the government could not be blamed for any increase and appealed to them to consider the consumer, who was the sufferer.
He also visited Nestle Ghana Limited where he toured the factory to have a first-hand information about its production and expansion programmes.
Mr Baidoo-Ansah told the women that the government had not introduced any new taxes that would warrant increases in prices.
Based on the complaints lodged by the traders that the fault was from wholesalers, the Trade Minister went to the Nestle factory where most of the market items in question are produced.
He explained that the government was in partnership with the private sector for productive economy.
Mr Baidoo-Ansah stated that government would not want to compete but encourage them by creating the enabling environment for production.
He said the government had a vision to create a middle-level income status for the country and was confident that it would very soon be achieved.
The Managing Director of Nestle, Mr Herve Durantiow, commended the government for creating a buoyant business climate for industry.
He said industry was happy that the energy crisis was over and expressed the hope that it would be sustained to enable the productive sector to grow.
Mr Durantiow said there had been price fluctuation because of the cost of materials used in production.
He noted that the company envisaged price fluctuation but hoped to produce at affordable costs.
Mr Durantiow disclosed that the company made exports to some West African countries including Nigeria and Cote d’ Ivoire.
He said the company had plans to expand the factory to double its present production level.
Mr Duratiow said production had tripled in the last three years, which was an indication that the factory was doing well.
Mr Baidoo-Ansah was later shown round the factory and taken through the various sections of the production lines of Milo, Ideal Milk, Cerelac and Nido.