The National Onion Producers and Marketers Association has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to urgently intervene in the lingering trade dispute between Nigeria and Ghana.
The association’s National President, Alhaji Aliyu Maitasamu, disclosed this on Sunday in Sokoto, saying Nigerian onion traders had suspended exports to Ghana after exhausting efforts to resolve the disagreement.
Maitasamu said the suspension would remain in place until Nigeria and Ghana reached an amicable agreement on the rules governing onion trade. He stressed that the decision was not intended to undermine regional commerce but to draw attention to the difficulties faced by Nigerian traders and seek a lasting solution.
He warned that prolonged disruption could cause significant losses for farmers, producers, exporters, transporters, wholesalers and retailers who depend on cross-border agricultural trade. According to him, restoring the flow of onions would help rebuild confidence in agricultural commerce across West Africa.
The association urged the Nigerian and Ghanaian governments to prioritise dialogue and called on ECOWAS to facilitate a fair, transparent and enforceable framework for onion trade between the two countries.
Maitasamu said clear and predictable rules, transparency and adherence to agreed regional trade protocols were necessary to prevent similar disputes and protect the livelihoods of thousands of people dependent on the onion value chain.
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