A security analyst is calling for urgent structural reforms to Ghana’s cross-border trade system following a deadly terrorist attack on Ghanaian tomato traders in northern Burkina Faso.
During an interview on Day Break Upper East on Monday, February 16, 2026, Richard Kumadoe warned that without deliberate interventions, traders will continue to face grave danger along the Burkina Faso route.
His comments come after gunmen attacked a truck transporting Ghanaian tomato traders near Titao on Saturday, February 14, killing eight and injuring four others.
According to reports from Burkina Faso, the traders were loading their tomatoes in Titao when their vehicle came under attack. The eight victims were burned beyond recognition, with DNA testing currently underway to formally establish their identities. Four survivors were injured and have since been airlifted back to Ghana, where they are receiving psychological support and trauma care following swift government intervention.
Mr. Kumadoe revealed that traders have previously had to reroute due to security threats. “The other time they encountered them through the Paga route, they diverted to Yendi,” he disclosed. He stressed that the recurring attacks demand a new trade strategy. “Either the marketing consultants themselves, or the traders, or as a centralized government, we can establish 24-hour markets at Bolga so that the heavy-duty truck drivers from Burkina Faso can bring their onions to Bolga and traders can pick them from there,” he proposed.
He also suggested creating a centralized trading hub in Tamale or empowering farmers in Bolgatanga and Tamale to cultivate onion and tomato seeds sourced from Burkina Faso locally. “If we empower the farmers in Tamale or Bolga and ensure they plant onions and tomatoes using seeds from Burkina Faso here in Ghana, that will reduce their travel risk to a minimal or negligible level,” he explained. “Until we do this, it remains a high-risk zone for businesses such as the one we are discussing.”
On immediate interventions, the security analyst noted that diplomatic channels are expected to be activated. “The embassies will get involved, and the standard protocols between the two countries will be shared,” he said, underscoring the need for strengthened bilateral security cooperation.
The latest attack has once again spotlighted the growing insecurity in parts of northern Burkina Faso and the vulnerability of Ghanaian traders who rely on the corridor for their livelihoods.
A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Seidu Mutawakil | Bolgatanga
