Drinking bar operators worried about price increase

Mrs Jane Amankwaah, National Women’s Oganiser of Drinking Bar Operators Association, on Tuesday expressed concern about price increase in alcoholic beverages and said this had slowed down business.

She appealed to owners not to take advantage of the increment to sell the products at exorbitant prices but they should ensure that the drinks are sold at stipulated prices.

Mrs Amankwaah said this when she addressed members of the Brong-Ahafo and Ashanti Regional branches of the association at a meeting in Sunyani.

She said though the increase in prices of the alcoholic drinks had affected their daily sales, operators ought to maintain the market price of the products.

Mrs Amankwaah, who is the Chairperson of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Association, said the association’s national executives was working with producers and distributors to address peculiar challenges in the industry.

Mr Solomon Opoku, Brong-Ahafo Regional Chairman of the Association, advised non-registered operators to register as the association sought the interest of members.

Mr Joseph Damoah, National Second Vice President of the Association, called for a stronger collaboration between the association and institutions such as the Ghana Tourism Authority.

Meanwhile, a visit the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to some of the drinking pubs in the Sunyani Municipality revealed that Guinness, Club Beer, Gulder and Star beer which were pegged at GHC3 are now selling GHC3.50,

Attendants said new prices for non-alcoholic drinks such as Coca Coca Cola, Malta Guinness, Sprite and others are yet to be charged.

They admitted that consumers are gradually shifting from beer to gin because of the price increase, while those who used to take two or three bottles of beer are now taking one bottle.

Source: GNA