The increasing rate of inflation in Ghana must be of concern to everyone irrespective of the political background, a Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, (UPSA) Professor Joshua Alabi, has said.

He asked the governed to ensure that the government performs to address this issue immediately.

“Nigeria inflation rate is 15%, Ivory Coast 4%, Togo 7%, Ghana 23%. The men and women of our country, the future leaders of our country, no matter your political divide ,this must be of concern.

“We don’t need to pamper, we don’t need to shower praises, we have to make leaders to perform. Better late than never. They must perform .Action now!” he said in a Facebook post.

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) announced on Wednesday May 11 that the national year-on-year inflation rate was 23.6% in April 2022, which is 4.2 percentage points higher than the 19.4% recorded in March 2022.

The month-on-month inflation between March 2022 and April 2022 was 5.1%, the GSS said on Wednesday May 12.

Four Divisions, Transport, Household equipment and Routine Maintenance, Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, recorded inflation rates above the national average of 23.6% with Transport, 33.5%, recording the highest inflation.

This month’s food inflation, 26.6%, is higher than both last month food inflation , 22.4% and the average of the previous 12 months 13.5%. Food inflation’s contribution to total inflation however, decreased from 51.4% in March 2022 to 50.0% in April 2022.

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta attributed this to import.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, Mr Ofori-Atta said “Today, 41 African economies are severely exposed to, at least, one of three concurrent crisis, rising food prices , rising energy prices , tightening financial conditions Finance Ministers now call it the dreaded three Fs; Food, fuel and financial conditions.

“That is just a ripple through in all Africa, and food prices easily about 34 per cent higher , crude oil prices some 60 per cent higher and global inflation has risen , we saw our numbers yesterday moved to 23.6 per cent, a good chunk of it being imported inflation.”