This is the warning from Esoko Ghana.

It follows the increase in the prices of foodstuffs which is expected to drag for some time.

Citi Business News’ checks at some major markets in Accra show that the prices of foodstuffs have shot up between 25 and 150 percent.

This hike, Citi Business News understands has been recorded since the beginning of February this year.

The situation is also attributed to the change in weather pattern, rising imports as well as the seasonal cultivation by majority of local farmers.

Click to listen to full audio report.

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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post Food prices increase by 150%; expected to last for 4 months appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The police were acting on intelligence they had picked up, along with a community member’s collaboration, leading to the arrest of the two on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 18.

[contextly_sidebar id=”CqpkJCcy2d1F6q65l649cCPpNQSyP8lk”]Addressing journalists in Accra today [Wednesday], the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, ASP Effia Tenge, explained that police were currently carrying out further investigations to ascertain and establish the intent of the two persons.

The arrest follows follow deadly clashes at the Agbogbloshie Yam Market last week, where reports indicate that feuding factions are in possession with a wide range of illicit arms.

ASP Tenge explained that, the two suspects, Imoro Abdul Wahab, 25, a scrap dealer, and Kwaku Amankwa, 58, who claims to be a registered arms dealer, were involved in a transaction which saw the scrap dealer purchase the ammunition valued at GHc 1,000.

Abdul Wahab was arrested first, and subsequently led the police to the second suspect at a place called Arena in Accra.

“The police retrieved 250 rounds of BB cartridges and 250 rounds of AA cartridges summing up to the 500 pieces of cartridges,” ASP Tenge noted.

“Both suspects are being detained for investigations, and shall soon be put before the court when our investigations and the intent has been established.”

Police trying to keep peace

ASP Tenge indicated that, some nefarious persons may look to capitalize on the tensions in the area to sell some arms, and thus advised the public not take advantage of the disturbances, warning that “the Police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any such persons to face the full rigours of the law.”

She added that, the police is still promoting dialogue between the two feuding factions “with the immense support of key stakeholders such as leaders of the various sub-groups whose collaboration to a larger extent has eased the tensions.”

Agbogbloshie must be purged of illicit arms – Nii Lante

Following the renewed communal clashes that led to the death of two persons, Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, said there had been a failure of security and authorities culminating in the proliferation of military-grade arms in the Agbogbloshie area.

In a Citi News interview, Mr. Vanderpuye lamented the insecurity in the area, which he says puts the lives of vulnerable residents at risk.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Two arrested at Agbogbloshie with 500 rounds of ammunition appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said the meeting will afford the feuding factions the opportunity to present their grievances and resentments to the security agencies for an amicable solution to be fashioned out.

At least two people were reported dead after clashes between Konkombas and Dagombas at the Agbogbloshie Yam Market on Wednesday.

Citi News gathered that, the clashes, which reportedly started on Monday night, escalated on Tuesday, over an allegation of a mobile phone theft by a member of one of the factions.

A joint police and military team that arrived at the scene, succeeded in restoring calm, but stakeholders have been meeting to device a strategy to ensure that peace is sustained in the area to avert any reprisal attack.

The Minister after a meeting with the two feuding factions on Wednesday at Agbogbloshie, reiterated that perpetrators of the violence will be dealt with according to law.

The Minister led a high-powered government delegation to Agbogbloshie to meet the groups.

Meanwhile, the factions involved in the clashes have accused each other of causing the violence, and are both calling for justice.

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By: Anass Seidu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post IGP ordered to meet Dagomba, Konkomba leaders over Agbogbloshie clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Citi News gathered that, the clashes, which reportedly started on Monday night, escalated on Tuesday, over an allegation of a mobile phone theft by a member of one of the factions.

[contextly_sidebar id=”D1WEeu0Yo9ziXbPsDY0DI5V0e2o2vJEk”]The Public Relations Officer of the Greater Accra Regional Police Command, ASP Afia Tenge, said many people have been left injured following the clash, and they have been sent to the hospital for treatment.

“The police had information of an alleged theft which led to a communal clash where the police needed to respond swiftly to halt the situation, and also we had to send people who had sustained various degree of injuries to the hospital for medical assistance. We also had to call in the Formed Police Unit to also assist in the situation and also a military detachment.”

She told journalists that the Police together with a contingent from the Ghana Army have succeeded in stabilizing the situation, and have put in place measures to ensure that the situation is brought under control.

“We have been able to stabilize the situation and we are going to still give the maximum protection to the community. What we were also able to do was to prevent the clash from getting to the market area. There were some motorbikes that were burnt in the process, and also there were some 2 persons that were suspected to be dead. We hope that the kind of arrangements the police and the military have put together, we believe that we will be able to control the situation.”

When Citi News’ Duke Mensah Opoku arrived at the scene at about 3:00pm on Tuesday, some residents and market women were seen running for their lives amidst gunshot exchanges between the two groups.

Some persons were also spotted with gunshot and machete wounds.

The Police reportedly used teargas to help restore order, before resorting to the use of water cannons to control the rioting groups.

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey, has said he is awaiting advice from the Police before considering a curfew on the area.

“They [The police] would have to look at the situation and advise us on what steps we should take, and if it becomes necessary to call a curfew, we will do so… there were problems there, the police identified that something was happening, they positioned themselves to protect property and lives.”

He noted that, the Regional Security Council will meet on Wednesday to receive updates on the situation and take the necessary action.

“We will see what they have done so far and see if there is any action we need to take again to bring the hostilities under control, then we will go into details to find out what actually sparked these hostilities,”  Ishmael Ashitey said.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post Konkomba-Dagomba clash leaves 2 dead, others hospitalized appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He said statistics available to him suggests that, slums will still continue to exist in Ghana for the next two decades.

“Evidence across the world doesn’t suggest that Ghana can eliminate slums. Slums are a manifestation of poverty so if somebody hasn’t got what it takes to provide a decent home in a built environment…you call the person living in a slum, but actually we are discussing urban poverty.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”AUV0UkFZuSuPoqLSg1QA7Ga2FgzT1xzg”]Farouk Braimah, who works in 34 countries globally, and is also the Deputy Chair for the Slum Dwellers International Network, while speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, said “for Ghana, I can assure you that we will continue to deal with slums in the next 15 to 20 years.”

The planning analyst made the remark on the back of a newly created ministry –the Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development, which will be headed by Alhaji Sadique Boniface.

Mr. Braimah also suggested that, the only way the new Ministry could succeed, is for government to allocate enough funding for its operations since such communities face major challenges like poor housing conditions, water and sanitation issues, financial problems among others.

“If you have a city which doesn’t provide for the poor, definitely people are going to provide for themselves and immediately you allow people to provide housing for themselves you will find slums springing up. So the inner cities in the typical sense are the decayed portions of your city. So when you plan a city it is organic, after 50 years or so, if you don’t expand and provide the services…the existing human settlements will begin to decay,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Minister- Nominee, Alhaji Sadique Boniface, also speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, said he is ready to collaborate with other ministries to ensure such deprived areas in the country are developed.

“We will be thinking about education and training within the Zongos. We should be thinking about infrastructure in reference to health and sanitation. We will also be thinking about business support and business development, centres for culture and arts, and we should be talking about areas like security and policing, and also try to make an attempt to create some sanity within the Zongos,” he added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Ghana can’t eliminate slums now – Urban planner appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.