Agric Minister-designate takes on Tomato Farmers Association for ‘bogus’ comment

Press Secretary to the Minister-designate for Agriculture Ridwan Issah Alhassan has described comments made by an executive member of the National Tomato Traders and Transport Association as a “political attack”.

The member, Agyenim Boateng, popularly called Gyataba, in an interview with 3FM, described the Agriculture Ministry as bogus.

“Our Agriculture Ministry is bogus, very very bogus,” Gyataba stated.

Mr Agyenim Boateng’s frustration stems from recent attacks by armed robbers on tomato traders on the Ghana-Burkina Faso corridor.

Last week, the traders grounded their trucks, temporarily halting the importation of tomatoes from neighbouring Burkina Faso.

It took police assurance to resume transportation of the vegetable.

Mr Agyenim Boateng, who is a stakeholder in the tomato trade, has been criticising the government for not doing enough to protect tomato importers.

But, reacting to the comments on Akoma FM on Friday, February 19, Mr Issah Alhassan said Gyataba’s comments are mere political attack.

“This is purely a move to gain political attention. Such things do not help the growth of the country,” he stated.

He said it is not true Ghana is not producing tomatoes.

“Ghana exports 17 foodstuffs to Burkina Faso. The importation of tomatoes from Burkina is only seasonal.”