The price of sachet water is expected to go up to 50 pesewas from September 19 after recommendations by the National Association of Sachet and Packaged Water Producers. Now, sachet water is being sold by some for GH¢0.30 and others GH¢0.40. A bag of sachet water will also now sell at GH¢7 from the retail trucks.
The association, in a statement, also recommended that bottled water prices be increased. They recommended that 500ml bottled water should be retailed at GH¢2, and iced bottled water, 750ml or medium size, should be retailed at GH¢3. The statement revealed that these increases have been necessitated by the rising cost of inputs such as fuel and packaging materials, which are mainly imported.
In Ghana, the cost of living is increasing at an alarming rate. This is especially true for the price of necessities like sachet water. For the average person, this high cost of living is a real struggle. It is the primary source of drinking water for most people in urban centres and some in rural areas as well. Drinking water is an essential part of daily life. However, the high cost of living has made it difficult for many people to afford this basic necessity. A single sachet of water can now cost as much as GH¢0.50, which is a significant expense for the average Ghanaian.
The high cost of living is a major problem in Ghana, and it is affecting the ability of people to afford necessities like drinking water. This increase is putting a real strain on families who are already struggling to make ends meet. The high cost of living is also making it difficult for businesses to survive. Many businesses are forced to increase prices, which only makes the problem worse. The high cost of living is a major problem in Ghana and it’s only getting worse.
One of the biggest contributors to the high cost of living in Ghana is the rate at which the value is depreciating, fuel prices, and the cost of raw materials. The price of sachet water is becoming high due to several factors, including the cost of production, transportation, and distribution. Additionally, there are taxes imposed on sachet water sellers and manufacturers. The rate at which the price of sachet water is increasing has a ripple effect on the overall cost of living in Ghana. This is because water is part of our daily lives and one needs water to keep him or her active all the time. Every producer or manufacturer aims to maximise profit so they will do everything to cover their production costs. It is the end user at the end of the day who will bear the cost.
The Vocal Ghanaian took to the streets of Accra to ask the Ghanaian citizens and sellers of sachet water what they thought about the new initiative brought by the association. A trader who sells sachet water and bottled water at Okaishie in Central Accra said that although they are not happy about the directives, they are necessary because all the prices of other goods and services are increasing. She lamented that when the price increased from GH¢0.20 to GH¢0.30 the sales went down drastically. It took a long time before people started buying like they used to.
A public servant, also stated that now he drinks a bag of sachet water in 10 days, unlike before when he used to drink 5 to 7 sachets of water in a day. His reason was that now the price of everything else in the country has increased within the past seven months and their salaries have not been increased so if he does not economise, his expenses will exceed his monthly salary.
The government needs to take action to help bring down the cost of living in Ghana so that people can afford necessities. The government can absorb some of the taxes on raw materials for producers to be able to maintain their prices. Citizens are suffering and if the government does not adopt lasting solutions to most of our problems there will be abject poverty as the price of necessities keeps on increasing exponentially.
Adam Ibrahim
Adam is passionate about politics and issues that affect governance. As a writer, he channels his energies into writing on pertinent national and political issues for the good of the Ghanaian people.
The rate at which prices of goods and services are running in this country is a bit absurd. Now the water has become so expensive. Unless we go back to our old ways of drinking oo. Yeeees Ice Water all the way now.
nice write-up. Keep it up.
Now the banks and top organisations should wait for us because we will always go there to drink water. Chai now sachet water also has a price. Something we were not even paying attention to. Where is our ice water aaaa.
It is scary where the country is heading towards now.