ACCRA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Headline consumer inflation rate in Ghana surged 1.8 percentage points to 15.7 percent in February from 13.9 percent a month earlier amid rising commodity prices, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) announced Wednesday.
Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician, disclosed this at a press conference, adding that the main factors causing the increase in inflation were food and petroleum prices.
The February inflation rate is the highest since October 2016, which recorded a headline inflation rate of 17.4 percent.
"In February, food inflation increased to 17.4 percent from 13.7 percent in January, and this is higher than the average of 10.8 percent for the previous 12 months," Annim said.
He added that non-food inflation also increased to 14.5 percent during the month under review, from 14.1 percent the previous month.
"Housing, transport, and food were the divisions that recorded the highest inflation rates of 25.5 percent, 18.3 percent, and 17.4 percent, respectively," said Annim.
Commercial transport operators have increased their transport fares by 15 percent across the board in late February.
Ghana's central bank increased its benchmark policy rate by 100 basis points to 14.5 percent in January to curb inflationary pressures. ■
