Ghana–Nigeria onion trade dispute nears resolution as stakeholders outline roadmap
Cross-border onion traders are moving towards restoring stability after a recent trade dispute between Ghana and Nigeria disrupted activities within the sub-region.
Consequently, plans have been revealed to introduce a structured roadmap to regulate the onion trade in the country following the resolution of the impasse.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry constituted a committee after engaging key stakeholders in a high-level meeting to address persistent challenges within the sector.
The Cross-Border Traders Coordinator, Oscar Akaba, explained that the intervention became necessary after traders experienced prolonged difficulties in ensuring smooth cross-border operations.
Trade flow
As part of efforts to ease tensions, both countries agreed to release trucks that had been held up during the dispute.
“Ghanaians have allowed the Nigerian trucks to offload and they have also released our trucks in Nigeria,” Mr Akaba stated.
He said this mutual decision will significantly improve the movement of onions across borders, helping to restore trade activities within the region.
Conflict
The Chairman of the Patriotic Onion Traders Union at Adjen Kotoku, Imoro Sutan, attributed the tensions to disagreements over trading practices.
He alleged that some Nigerian traders were bypassing agreed systems by selling directly to Ghanaian consumers at lower prices.
“If you live in a country, you follow the laws of the country. When we go to Nigeria, we follow their laws, so we expect the same here,” he said.
Mr Sutan explained that some traders' refusal to comply with local regulations led to resistance from Ghanaian traders, who subsequently blocked certain Nigerian trucks from offloading.
This, he added, sparked unrest among workers and eventually escalated into clashes at the market.
He further disclosed that several groups, including the Progressive Cooperative Onion Farmers Unit, the Accra Onion Sellers Association, the Patriotic Onion Sellers Association, the Ghana Youth Onion Sellers Association and the GAPTO Onion Sellers Association, held meetings with other leaders to chart a peaceful way forward.
The Nigerian chairmen and traders, however, refused to address the media concerning this issue.
Roadmap
As a long-term resolution, Mr Akaba indicated that stakeholders are actively developing a comprehensive framework to regulate the onion trade and to strengthen collaboration with their Nigerian counterparts.
“We are working towards a roadmap where we can control the onion-selling business within Ghana,” he said.
The Cross-Border Traders Coordinator emphasised Ghana’s strategic role as one of West Africa’s leading onion trading hubs, warning that disruptions in the sector could have serious consequences.
“If we jeopardise food security in this country, we will be in a big problem,” he cautioned.
He commended both the Ministry of Trade and Industry and ECOWAS for their timely intervention, which helped to resolve the dispute and restore calm within the trading community.
