The Upper East Regional Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, says Burkina Faso cannot be blamed for banning the export of fresh tomatoes to Ghana, describing the move as a decision taken in the country’s national interest.
He argued that if Ghana were faced with a similar situation, any government would likely take the same step to protect its local industry.
Burkina Faso recently announced a ban on the export of fresh tomatoes to Ghana. The decision, which is expected to take effect at the end of March 2026, will prevent Ghanaian traders from travelling to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes—a practice that has persisted for years, particularly during Ghana’s lean season.
Mr. Abdallah Salifu made the remarks during an interview on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show.
“Every country would always want to add value to its raw materials. We are doing the same with gold today; that is why we have set up the GoldBod and refineries, so that we can add value before export. We are also doing the same with our local rice. We see rice mills processing and packaging it,” he said.
“So if the Burkinabes have been farming tomatoes and our people go there to buy while they have a factory, it would be of concern to them. Their factory must also survive,” he added.
Mr. Abdallah Salifu maintained that the Burkina Faso government cannot be faulted for taking a decision aimed at improving its economic conditions.
However, he acknowledged that the development places an additional burden on Ghana to become more self-sufficient in tomato production.
“We have to learn from it. If they have been able to produce tomatoes to that level, we should be able to do so too,” he said.
A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
