The marginal increase in petroleum products is likely to impact on the prices of goods and services as producers prepare to pass on the cost to consumers.
Petroleum products, last week went up by about five to 10 percent at the pumps, following a reduction in the price of the products to about 20 percent last month.
Diesel, which was selling at GHc2.92 pesewas a litre from August 1, is now Ȼ3 .00. Petrol, on the other hand, is now selling at GHc3.49 pesewas a litre.
SHELL has already increased its prices but TOTAL and GOIL have kept their prices unchanged at the pumps for a while.
Checks by Business Day has shown that the increase is already having some effects on the prices of some goods in the Ghanaian market.
An importer, Bernard Amanquah, who spoke to this paper attributed the increase to the recent fall of the cedi against other major trading currencies such as the US dollar and the euro.
“Anytime there is an increase in fuel prices, it affects my business and creates a major impact on the cost of some of my products which will result in price change for consumers to pay”.
The situation, he said has resulted in customers complaining about price increases, leading to low patronage.
An internet café operator Miss Victoria Safo lamented that she may lose some of her customers if she transfers the cost of fueling her generator to them.
“Due to the dumsor I always buy fuel to power my generator to use when there is no power. This increment in fuel prices means an increase in cost of production”, she said.
“These changes will also drive some customers away and my business may collapse”, she added.
She therefore appealed to government to put in measures that will protect the ordinary people against the current economic hardship.
By IRENA ANSAH POBEE
