From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa (ORO) has appealed to the Government of Ghana to urgently intervene in the continued detention of Nigerian onion trucks at Kotoku Market by some Ghanaian onion traders who have prevented the vehicles from offloading their consignments.
President of the Regional Observatory of Onion Sector in West and Central Africa, Alhaji Aliyu Isah Maitasamu, made the appeal while briefing journalists in Sokoto on Thursday.
Maitasamu said onions are highly perishable agricultural commodities, warning that the prolonged delay in releasing the trucks had already caused significant financial losses to Nigerian exporters.
According to him, continued detention of the consignments could lead to further deterioration of the produce, resulting in avoidable losses for farmers, traders, and businesses involved in cross-border onion trade.
He explained that several diplomatic efforts had been made with relevant trader associations and stakeholders in Ghana to resolve the matter.
“The issue was also escalated through the ECOWAS Trade Directorate by the Trade Director in Nigeria to his counterpart in Ghana. Regrettably, despite these interventions, the situation remains unresolved,” Maitasamu stated.
He stressed that Ghanaian onion traders operating in Nigeria are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect, adding that they are allowed to conduct their businesses freely without discrimination.
“Because we regard them as brothers and partners in regional trade and economic integration, they receive every necessary support to operate in Nigeria,” he said.
Maitasamu noted that the continued obstruction of legitimate onion trade contradicts the objectives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which promote free movement of goods, regional integration, and increased intra-African trade.
ORO, therefore, called on the Ghanaian government and relevant authorities to take immediate action to ensure the release of the detained trucks and restore the smooth flow of legitimate agricultural trade between Ghana and Nigeria.
The organisation expressed hope that the matter would be resolved through constructive dialogue and mutual understanding in order to preserve the longstanding relationship between the two countries and promote regional economic development.