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Following the bi-weekly fuel price increases and the associated food price hikes in Ghana, the President decided to announce a relief package to cushion Ghanaians of the economic hardships. This led to the reduction in import duties on rice and other produce and the reduction of some taxes on fuel to stabilise the prices. Participants therefore decided to devote the third session in discussing the food and oil price hikes and development. They were generally of the view that the Ghanaian market was simply reacting to the unstable global market conditions.
Some were however apprehensive of the relief package announced by the President arguing that they were not significant enough to alleviate the sufferings of Ghanaians. They said the long term effect of the rising prices of fuel and food items on the market would be rising cost of living. While some called on government to be more responsible and sensitive to the plight of Ghanaians by adopting pro-poor measures to alleviating their suffering, other argued that the rising cost of living was not the making of government and that as and when the global situation stabilises, Ghana would also experience stability.
The Political Café is an initiative of the Youth Network for Human Rights and Democracy (you-net) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), to bring together the alumni of the Youth Leadership Training Programme (YLTP) to work together on topical issues of national concern as youth. Over one hundred alumni of the YLTP are visibly playing various leadership roles in all fields including politics, business and social development. The Political Café seeks to promote networking, sharing experiences and ideas on issues of personal and national development. The meetings are held on a monthly basis on the last Thursday of every month.
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