Inflation Declines To 9.8%

The year-on-year inflation rate for September 2018 as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 9.8 percent, down by 0.1 percentage point from the 9.9 percent recorded in August 2018.

Baah Wadieh, Government Statistician, commenting on the development, said the monthly change rate for September 2018 was 0.0 percent compared to 0.0 percent recorded for August 2018.

Food and non-food inflation

He said the food and non-alcoholic beverages group recorded a year-on-year inflation rate of 8.7 percent, representing 0.8 percentage point higher than the rate recorded in August 2018.

The Government Statistician said six subgroups of the food and non-alcoholic beverages group recorded inflation rates higher than the group’s average rate of 8.7 percent.

The non-food group recorded a year-on-year inflation rate of 10.3 percent in September 2018, compared to the 10.8 percent recorded for August 2018.

Five subgroups recorded year-on-year inflation rates higher than the group’s average rate of 10.3 percent.

Transport recorded the highest inflation rate of 14.4 percent, followed by clothing and footwear with 14.3 percent, recreation and culture with 13.9 percent,

Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance with 12.4 percent and miscellaneous goods and services with 11.5 percent.

Inflation was lowest in the housing, water, electricity, gas and others fuels subgroup (3.0%).

Regional differentials

At the regional level, the year-on-year inflation rate ranged from 8.4 percent in Upper East Region to 11.9 percent in Upper West Region.

Five regions (Upper West, Brong Ahafo, Western, Northern and Ashanti) recorded inflation rates above the national average rate.

Eastern Region recorded the same inflation rate as the national average of 9.8 percent.