Upper West faces looming food crisis

Illegal exportation of foodstuff from the Upper West Region to Burkina Faso is causing price hikes and pushing the region to the verge of scarcity.

The situation has generated public outcry and people from all walks of life are calling for government's intervention.


Investigations conducted by the Ghana News Agency showed that about eight cargo truck-fulls of maize and yams leave Wa every market day for markets at Fielmua, a Ghanaian border town and Leo in Burkina Faso.


As a result, prices of the two commodities, which are normally low at this time of the year, are rising astronomically.


Maize, which sold at 100,000 cedis two weeks ago, now sells at 140,000 per maxi bag while three large tubers of yam, which cost 5,000 cedis, can now be purchased at 10,000 cedis.


Mr Iddrisu Mahama, an educationist described the situation as unprecedented and called on the government to intervene to prevent famine during the lean season.

He suggested the formation of a task force to team up with the GPRTU to bring the situation under control.


Mallam Mahamudu Iddrisu, Chairman of the Wa Cargo Truck drivers branch of the GPRTU admitted that their members were involved in conveying food across the borders but said the union lacked the power to stop them.


"They are our members but we do not control their movement. We can only stop them if we are given power to do so."


Alhaji Seidu Fuseini, a member of the GPRTU said smuggling of foodstuff would compound the problem of scarcity following the abrupt end of the rainy season, which had caused many cereal farms to wither.