International updates

http://m.peacefmonline.com/pages/business/economy/201606/282552.php

Inflation in Ghana goes sway.
The year-on-year inflation rate increased slightly to 18.9 percent in May compared to 18.7 per cent in May, Dr Philomena Nyarko, Government Statistician, said on Wednesday.

The monthly change rate for May was 1.1 per cent compared to the 1.4 percent recorded in April 2016.

Dr Nyarko said the non-food group recorded a year-on-year inflation rate of 25.0 percent in May compared to 24.8 recorded in April, while the year-on-year food inflation rate for May was 8.5 percent compared with the 8.4 per cent recorded in April.

She explained that the main drivers for the non-food inflation rate are transport, housing, electricity, gas and fuels, education and recreation and culture while that of the food inflation include vegetables, oils and fats, fruits, mineral water, soft drinks, fruits and vegetable juices.

At the regional level, the year-on-on year, Greater Accra and Ashanti regions recorded inflation rates higher than the national average of 18.8 percent.

The Greater Accra Region recorded the highest inflation rate of 22.6 percent followed by the Ashanti Region with 20.8 percent, while the Upper East region recorded the lowest of 15.0 percent

Nigerian Niger Delta militants continues their quest for self governance.

Suspected oil militants were arrested by the Nigerian army in Niger
Delta region
– The militants were arraigned while attempted to bomb another oil
facility
– However, it seems that the suspects are not connected to the Niger
Delta Avengers
Niger Delta militants
The Nigerian army has on June 17, Friday, announced the arrest of 19
suspected oil militants in the Niger Delta region.
The soldiers foiled an attempt to blow up a pipeline operated by the
Nigerian subsidiary of Italy’s Eni and arrested suspected pipeline
thugs and oil thieves.
READ ALSO: We want the peace with honour – Niger Delta Avengers
condemn APC, MEND
Vanguard reports that according to the statement, three coordinators
of “several pipeline bombings” were among those arraigned in
operations conducted across the oil-producing southern states of
Bayelsa and Delta.
The statement says: “One of the arrested suspects, John Oboka —
aka Jamaica — confessed to being part of the group that bombed the
Nigerian Petroleum Developing Company (NPDC) crude oil pipeline at
Escravos.”
However, there was no sign as to whether those suspected militants
were connected to the Niger Delta Avengers, the high-profile group
that has claimed a series of attacks on oil and gas pilelines since
February.
READ ALSO: Militants issue 14-day ultimatum to oil companies
The Federal government has offered to negotiate with the Avengers
but the militant group has denied reports it has met government
representatives.
The attacks on the oil industry have cut production to an estimated
1.6 million barrels per day, well below the expected 2.2 million bpd.