Hajia Mansura Abubakar, the Ashanti Regional Queen Mother of the Tomato Sellers Association, has announced a formal ban on traders traveling to Burkina Faso.
This decision follows a tragic incident in which eight traders were killed by jihadists.
The Queen Mother noted that the association is devastated by the loss and is now prioritizing human life over commercial gain.
She stated that members will no longer risk the journey unless the government provides guaranteed military protection.
Speaking in an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Hajia Abubakar made a passionate appeal to the government to intervene.
“The deaths of our traders is devastating. We have decided as an association not to go to Burkina Faso again until we are assured of our safety and security. We prefer staying home without working than to travel to Burkina Faso with no assurance of returning back. We are appealing to the government to provide us with soldiers before we can go back. Without the security or protection, what will be the outcome of going back?”
In addition to security concerns, Hajia Abubakar urged the government to invest heavily in local tomato farming.
She noted that Ghana has the land and capacity to produce the high-quality tomatoes that consumers prefer, which would reduce the dangerous reliance on cross-border trade.
She warned that if a solution is not found within a week to allow traders to safely transport produce, the country will face a severe tomato shortage.
Credit: Rainbow Radio
