Traders in tomatoes at the Tudu market in Accra have expressed fear on possibilities of embarking on another trip to Burkina-Faso over what they described as ‘increasing armed robbery attacks’ crossing through Bolgatanga to Burkina.
Although these traders have not personally been victims of these increasing armed robbery attacks, they say, most of their colleagues have been attacked on numerous occasions.
They are also worried that many of them, listening to the heinous account of their colleagues have resorted to selling all their tomatoes waiting for police intervention for the situation to be addressed before embarking on their next trip to Burkina Faso.
The situation the traders say may result in increases in the price of tomatoes in the market as one of them said “right now I don’t think I’ll travel for tomatoes now, some of our friends whose tomatoes are finished are planning of going, when they go and we receive good news, we might also go.”
“My customers in Burkina-Faso keep calling me for goods but I told them to hold on for now, my life is more important, I will go when I feel secured, I’m not in a hurry to go even though my tomatoes is almost finished.” A trader said
Awonye, a trader in tomatoes expressed worry over the situation saying “you see, right now people are not rushing to buy because as for tomatoes it can spoil but the way all of us are afraid of going, it means there will be shortage soon and when there is shortage, we will be forced to increase our prices.”
Another trader said “we don’t travel to Burkina, we are stationed here, we buy from them when they return and also sell to make profit.”
“I use to go but lately, I’m afraid, the armed robbers took all the money my sister had on her last year so now we stay here and buy from them when they return.”
The price of a tomatoes box at the Tudu market in Accra on Saturday, February 13 2021 stood at one thousand five hundred cedis (1,500.00cedis)
Ataa Maame, a tomatoes trader said “from Monday to Thursday the price of a box was between 1.000cedis and 1.300cedis but today is 1.500cedis, I can even tell you that the way things are going it is even going to go higher than this by Monday.”
“Since last week, we were expecting our customers to deliver goods to us, they said they are still in Bolga, they are afraid to cross, even the drivers don’t want to go because of what is happening, as you can see, before, when you come here early like this, you will see a lot of tomatoes here but today, see for yourself, people are not going again.”
A hopeful customer also said they are expecting more tomatoes in the market by Monday following news that the police will provide security to the traders.
