General-Secretary of the Tomatoes Traders Association (TTA) in Accra, Madam Lydia Afoley Anum, has complained about rampant robbery attacks on tomato traders.
She said tomato traders who travel to Burkina Faso, La Cote d? Ivoire and Ashanti Region to purchase tomatoes have become easy targets for the robbers.
She disclosed that in recent times over GH?500 million was forcibly taken away by armed robbers from tomato traders on their way to Burkina Faso and La Cote d?Ivoire.
Madam Anum made this observation during the monthly open forum of the Greater Accra TTA held recently in Accra.
?Although the traders are offered police escort during their travels to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes in bulk, armed robbers trail their trucks and rob them. And this normally occurs after the police have left the traders,? she said.
The tomato traders, she added, carry huge sums of money on them because the banks they deal with do not have branches in Navrongo and in Burkina Faso.
She indicated that the members of Association travel to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes on scheduled basis.
Madam Afoley Anum stated that it is unfortunate that security personnel at the borders tend to extort monies from tomato traders.
?At times they get involved in accidents and injuries that cause damage to their wares which lead to huge bank debts ranging from GH?100 million to GH?120 million,? she added.
According to her, their debtors drag them to court which becomes an embarrassment to them and their families.
Against this background, she called on the government to support the Association in the area of policy formulation.
She commended government for organising workshops to educate members of the Association
She also disclosed that the Association has joined the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
STORY: BERNARD QUANSON
