Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare,Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, has called for accelerated investment in year-round tomato production following a recent attack on Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso, framing the incident as both a security concern and a structural supply-chain vulnerability.
Ofosu-Adjare, together with Transport Minister Bukare Mikpe, visited two surviving victims of the attack at the 37 Military Hospital. The delegation, which included the Deputy Trade Minister and senior ministry officials, met with the injured traders, a man and a woman, who sustained varying degrees of injuries and remain on admission. The visit was aimed at commiserating with the victims, assessing their medical condition and offering support as they recover.
Speaking to reporters after the engagement, Ofosu-Adjare described the incident as unfortunate and distressing, and linked it to broader trade and food security challenges.She stressed that Ghana must expand local tomato cultivation capacity to reduce exposure to risks associated with cross-border sourcing, particularly during seasonal supply shortfalls.
“It is our prayer and commitment that Ghana will be able to grow tomatoes throughout the year so that our traders will not have to take such risks beyond our borders,” she stated.
Ghana relies significantly on imported tomatoes and seasonal cross-border trade to meet domestic demand, particularly during lean production periods. Industry stakeholders have long cited post-harvest losses, irrigation gaps and limited processing capacity as constraints to stable year-round supply.
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The Trade Minister said government remains committed to policies that support sustained tomato cultivation throughout the year, positioning the strategy as part of a broader effort to strengthen food security and reduce import dependence.
She also commended the medical team at the 37 Military Hospital for their care of the injured traders and encouraged them to continue providing quality treatment to ensure full recovery.
Receiving the delegation, Brigadier General R. Naab, Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the hospital, thanked the ministers for their visit and said the victims were responding positively to treatment and would continue to receive the best possible medical attention. The incident has intensified policy discussion around agricultural self-sufficiency, regional trade risk management and the need to de-risk informal cross-border supply chains that support Ghana’s food markets.
