The Consumer price index puts month-on-month inflation for the month of January at a record 13.9 percent.
This is 1.3 percentage points above December inflation that stood at 12.6 percent.
For the first time in seven months, non-food inflation recorded 14.1 percent up from 12.5 percent in December exceeding food inflation which stood at 13.7 percent.
On month -on-on monthly basis, the Government Statistician Prof Samuel Annim explains that non-food inflation in 2022 recorded a 1.3 percent difference to exceed January 2021 inflation which stood at 12.8 percent.
The statistician highlighted that housing recorded 28.7 percent, transport and fuel 17. 4 percent making these two the divisions that recorded the highest inflation.
“Overall month-on-month food inflation was 2.0%, which is higher than the twelve-month national month-on-month rolling average of food inflation (1.1%). Fourteen out of the fifteen food sub-classes recorded positive month-on-month inflation (see figure 4) with Fruit and Vegetable juices recording a deflation (-0.4%),” he added.
Prof Annim reiterated that the contribution of housing, water, electricity, and gas to overall inflation increased by 4.6 percentage points from 17.5 percent in December 2021 to 22.1 percent in January 2022.
He explained, “two out of the 12 Non-food Divisions had the 12 months rolling average to be higher than the year-on-year inflation for January 2022 for the division.”
The Statistician pointed out that the locally produced items continue to dominate imported items.
“The inflation for imported goods was 11.0% (which is higher than the 10.4% recorded for December 2021) while the inflation for locally produced items was 15.0% (up from the 13.3% recorded in December 2021,” he said.
For the regional level, Prof Annim opined that Greater Accra regained its lead in overall inflation with the upper west region still recording the highest food inflation.
Source : Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Rosemond Akuokor Adjetey
