THE Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association has announced the suspension of tomato imports from Burkina Faso following the killing of Ghanaian traders in an armed attack.
The incident occurred in Titao on Saturday while the traders were transporting tomatoes to Ghana. The attack has heightened concerns about the safety of cross-border trade along the Burkina Faso corridor.
The Chairman of the Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association, Mr Eric Osei Tuffour, described the killings as a major setback for the trading community.
He called on authorities to tighten security along the Burkina Faso trade route and accelerate reforms aimed at boosting domestic tomato production.
Mr Tuffour also highlighted the vulnerability of Ghanaian traders who frequently travel to northern Burkina Faso to transport tomatoes and onions, and urged structural interventions to address longstanding challenges in the tomato sector.
In a telephone interview on Adom FM monitored by The Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, endorsed the suspension, saying it would allow bereaved families to mourn while giving the government time to assess the security situation and implement protective measures.
She commended the association for its contribution to food security, job creation and agribusiness development.
“The growth of the tomato sector is essential to our industrialisation agenda. We are ready to collaborate with the association to improve production, processing and market access for local farmers,” she said.
The minister assured members that the ministry would work closely with security agencies and other relevant institutions to review the situation and roll out sustainable measures to safeguard traders.
She reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening local industries and agricultural value chains as part of its broader economic transformation strategy.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
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