Trucks carrying onions and other vegetables from Niger to Ghana, which were recently detained in Nigeria, have now been released, bringing relief to traders and stakeholders involved in the regional agricultural trade.
The trucks, transporting perishable goods, were reportedly blocked by suspected armed men in Samia, a small town in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The incident had raised concerns among traders and authorities, as delays in moving such goods often lead to significant financial losses due to spoilage and disruption of supply chains.
The development also sparked fears of escalating tensions along the regional trading corridor, a vital route for agricultural produce across West Africa.
Ghana, in particular, depends heavily on imports of vegetables, including onions, from neighboring countries such as Niger, making the smooth operation of these routes critical for market stability and food supply.
Reacting to the situation, Oscar Akaba, National Coordinator of the Cross Border Traders Association, confirmed that the matter has been resolved following high-level engagements with key stakeholders.
According to him, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, together with Ghanaian onion associations and other relevant parties, convened a meeting to address the impasse and prevent further escalation.
“When this issue all happened, we went into it and yesterday, the Trade Ministry formed a committee to go into the matter. Our tasks were to de-escalate the issue where the Nigerian trucks that were in Ghana were offloaded and they are going back. And our trucks, almost 56, that is between Benin and Nigerian have also been released because that was the mutual agreement we had,” he said.
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