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Ghanaian Tomato Farmers against
importation from Burkina Faso
Navrongo (U/E), March 1, Ghanadot/GNA - The intervention of
the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) chaired by
the Deputy Regional Minister, Alhaji Awudu Yirimeah last
Monday averted what could have been a bloody clash between
tomato farmers in Navrongo and “Leading Boys” from Paga over
the purchase of tomatoes from neighbouring Burkina Faso by
Market Queens from Accra.
The Leading Boys direct the Market Queens from Accra to
farms in Burkina Faso to go and buy tomatoes.
Armed with cudgels, cutlasses and other weapons, the Leading
Boys marched towards Navrongo to confront the local tomato
farmers, who had blocked the main road, refusing
southern-bound tomato trucks returning from Burkina Faso
passage.
The local farmers said they did not understand why the
Market Queens from Southern Ghana should cross the border to
Burkina Faso to go and buy the produce at 110,000 CFA per
crate while theirs sold cheaper at 80,000 cedis per crate.
The blockade was, therefore, meant to compel the Market
Queens and their truck drivers to buy the locally produced
tomatoes.
The farmers had earlier deflated the tyres of two loaded
trucks that attempted to pass through Navrongo.
Concerned about the safety of their vehicles, about 25 other
truck drivers who had already gone to load tomatoes in
Burkina Faso remained at a Police checkpoint near Paga.
The "Leading Boys" at Paga are a group of unemployed men,
who earn their livelihood from escorting the trucks into
Burkina Faso and assisting in loading tomato crates into the
trucks for a fee.
The arrival of Alhaji Yirimeah; Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh,
District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana and members of
REGSEC helped to defuse the crisis.
Having gone on to Paga to halt the advancing attackers,
Alhaji Yirimeah and the team of officials went back to
Navrongo where they held a meeting with the tomato farmers.
They gave them the assurance that the Regional Co-ordinating
Council was initiating moves to resolve the problem of
tomato marketing in the Region.
Alhaji Yirimeah conceded that the problem would not have
cropped up at all if the Pwalugu Tomato Factory was in a
position to absorb tomatoes produced in the Region.
Inadequate power to the factory had resulted in low capacity
operation.
He said the project to extend electricity from the national
power grid in Bolgatanga to the Pwalugu Factory had been
awarded to a contractor and that work would be completed in
about two months.
"As a temporary measure, the Factory has to operate on a
diesel generator which is rather expensive. I have been in
touch with the Ministry of Trade in Accra and it is prepared
to assist the Factory with the diesel cost so that more of
the locally produced tomato can be absorbed," he said.
The Deputy Regional Minister said the problem of marketing
facing tomato growers was only for a while and that once
power supply was restored to the Factory on a permanent
basis, residents of the area would be encouraged to
cultivate tomato on a large scale to feed it.
"As a Government we are even more eager to see this happen
because it would offer jobs to the unemployed and stem the
rate of migration of our youth to the South."
The local tomato farmers in Navrongo later removed their
blockades from the main road, making it possible for more
than 25 trucks hauling tomatoes from Burkina Faso to
continue their journey to Accra.
GNA
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