The Ghana National Association of Authors and Publishers (GNAAP) has announced a price hike in books, including fictional and non-fictional textbooks for pre-school, primary, junior high, and senior high schools.
Effective September 2024, prices of most textbooks will go up by at least 60 percent.
The Association attributes the adjustments to escalating port charges, including the COVID-19 levy and AU levy, and the High Value Added taxes on imported books.
High inflation, increasing fuel prices, rising exchange rate, and high import duties are factors considered in increasing the prices of books.
According to the Ghana Association of Authors and Publishers, it cannot sit unconcerned for the book industry, which contributes significantly to economic growth, to collapse.
At a press conference in Kumasi, President of the Association, John Akwasi Amponsah, highlighted challenges in the book industry mainly due to high taxes.
“In recent times macroeconomic indicators such as high inflation, high interest rates and the continuous appreciation of the dollar against the cedi plus the higher port charges and imposition of VAT on books and hike in fuel prices have increased the cost of producing books in Ghana.
“The value of books funds in debt are huge and publishers are losing their purchasing power on daily basis due to high rate of inflation and high cost of borrowing,” he said.
Mr. Frimpong said the industry players are not enthused with the hikes in the prices of books.
From September 2024, primary school textbooks selling between 50 and 60 Ghana cedis will see a significant increase to 80 Ghana cedis, while books for junior and senior high schools currently sold at 50 to 80 Ghana cedis will increase to 80 and 180 Ghana cedis respectively.
The publishers are, therefore, urging the government to redraw taxes imposed on imported books.
“We do not wish that books become more expensive. However, these conditions only hold if government considers reviewing some of its port charges that are increasing the cost of books. That is the Covid-19 levy, AU levy etc,” he added.
