The supply of onions in Ghana is at risk of disruption following the seizure of trucks transporting the produce from Niger through Nigeria, according to Mustapha Sulemana Talimu, spokesperson for the Onion Sellers Association. Talimu explained that the crisis stems from disputes among certain groups within the onion trade.
“Just two or three days ago, a small faction of traders clashed with Nigerian counterparts and prevented them from offloading goods at the market. As a result, all trucks bound for Ghana have now been impounded,” he told Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, April 5.
He further noted that what began as a disagreement involving a limited group of traders has since escalated into a broader conflict, now affecting multiple associations, including Ghanaian, Kusasi, Hausa, and Ivorian traders.
“All the cars have been stopped. What we are discussing is the onion business in Ghana, but politics has come into play,” Talimu stated. The stranded trucks, which carry perishable onions, are at risk of spoiling if the situation continues. In an earlier interview, one of the drivers, Awudu Tiajni, lamented, “We’ve been stuck here for almost three days. Our goods are perishing. We are appealing to the government for help.”
Alhaji Fuseini Atiiga, an onion trader in Accra, also shared in an interview with Citi News on Sunday, April 5, that the tensions arise from disagreements between Nigerian traders and farmers regarding the distribution model of trucks bringing onions from Nigeria to Ghana. He explained that in Accra, around 52 trucks are brought in and distributed among various associations. However, he noted that the majority of the onions go to a specific association, which the Nigerian traders oppose
Source: Abigail Arthur
