Sarkodie has opened up about how fuel price hikes is impacting his movement and his finances.
The rapper in an interview on Joy FM’s Showbiz A to Z programme over the weekend told an audience that times are hard for him too despite his status.
Asked about economic issues as pertains to recent times, he told host George Quaye: “I wouldn’t be able to have my hands on everything because at least thank God, we have moved from a certain stage where our problems may not necessarily be like the regular person on the street.”
Specifically, on the fuel price hikes, he stated: “if myself I can have a level of hardship in certain things, it’s not hardship (per se) but it was a big shock, fuel prices is crazy. To fill my car now, I am hitting towards 2,000 cedis, which is serious.
“You need about 2,000 cedis to be able to run around three days,” he lamented.
Sarkodie, who is promoting his Jamz Album, recently told the media that he stood by his support for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his re-election bid in 2020 stressing that he had benefitted from the flagship Free SHS policy of the government.
An economy in distress
The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.
The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.
President Akufo-Addo and his government have come under heavy scrutiny for failing to address the current economic challenges in the country.
The prices of goods and services have been continuously rising all year round, with inflation currently at over 40 per cent.
The Ghana cedi has been ranked the worst currency in the world among 148 currencies tracked by Bloomberg, overtaking Sri Lanka's rupee, having depreciated by nearly 50 per cent so far in 2022.
Sarkodie and Nana Akufo-Addo