Cross-border onion trade between Nigeria and Ghana has resumed following the suspension of a five-day strike by Nigerian exporters.
Aliyu Maitasamu Isah, President of the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), confirmed that transactions have restarted. "We have resumed transactions. The strike has been suspended, so we are back to normal operations," he said.
He added that the situation was resolved "yesterday," allowing traders to return to activities across the Ghana corridor and other export routes.
According to Maitasamu, who is also President of the Regional Observatory body of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO/AOC), the resolution followed engagement by officials from both countries, including Nigeria's High Commissioner to Ghana and Ghana's Minister of Trade.
"They met and were able to resolve the issue to some extent. However, discussions are still ongoing, as we remain at the negotiation table to finalize everything," he said.
The development led to the release of detained trucks and the restoration of trading operations. "They released our trucks, and we have resumed normal operations. We were asked to maintain the status quo, essentially to continue operating as we did before the crisis," he added.
The earlier suspension of onion exports followed tensions between Nigerian traders and local groups in Ghana, particularly at the Kotoku Market in Accra. Reports indicated that traders faced harassment, intimidation, and the seizure of trucks, prompting exporters to halt shipments.
The disruption affected a key agricultural trade route within the ECOWAS region and raised concerns about supply availability and price levels in Ghana.
Maitasamu said authorities in Ghana responded to incidents linked to the unrest. "The government took the necessary steps and even arrested those involved in the shooting at the market. The mastermind behind the incident was apprehended by the Ghanaian government," he said. He noted that beyond the confiscation of goods, no widespread fracas was recorded.
Source: Vanguard
