Onion supplies to Ghana could be disrupted after trucks transporting the produce from Niger were seized in Nigeria following a dispute among traders, industry representatives say.
Mustapha Sulemana Talimu, spokesperson for the onion sellers association, said the situation began a few days ago after a disagreement between some Ghanaian and Nigerian traders.
“A small group among the onion traders had an issue with Nigerian traders and stopped their vehicles from offloading goods at the market. Because of that, all the trucks coming to Ghana have now been seized,” he told Channel One Newsroom on Sunday.
He said what started as a minor disagreement has since escalated into a broader conflict involving multiple trader groups, including Ghanaian, Kusasi, Hausa and Ivorian associations.
“All the trucks have been stopped. This is about the onion business in Ghana, but it has now taken on political dimensions,” he added.
The trucks, many of which are carrying perishable goods, risk significant losses if the situation is not resolved quickly.
One driver, Awudu Tiajni, said they had been stranded for several days.
“We’ve been locked here for almost three days. Our goods are perishing. We are appealing to the government for help,” he said.
Meanwhile, an Accra-based onion trader, Alhaji Fuseini Atiiga, told Citi News the dispute is also linked to disagreements over how imported onions are distributed.
He said around 52 trucks typically arrive in Accra and are shared among different trader associations, but concerns have been raised that a majority are allocated to one group a situation some Nigerian traders oppose.
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Source: www.kumasimail.com
