Eric Osei Tuffour, Chairman of the Ghana National Tomatoes Traders and Transporters Association (GNTTTA), has recounted the harrowing events that led to the deaths of seven Ghanaians in Burkina Faso during a tomato transport operation.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Tuffour described the incident as shocking and unprecedented. He explained that during the lean season, when tomatoes are scarce in Ghana, traders often source supplies from Burkina Faso to meet market demand.
“Traders and transporters gather in Kumasi, where the Inspector General of Police (IGP) deploys officers to escort them to the Paga border before they cross into Ouagadougou,” he said.
On the day of the attack, a vehicle carrying two market women, a driver, and a spare driver left Koforidua, picking up additional traders along the route.
“By the time the vehicle reached Burkina Faso, there were about 20 people on board, including loading boys and sorters from Bolgatanga, Navrongo, and Paga,” Tuffour explained.
The group arrived in Titao in the morning. Though sporadic gunshots were heard nearby—a situation traders have grown somewhat accustomed to—they did not anticipate danger. “Sometimes, the assailants even ask tomato traders for water and bread, so nobody expected an attack,” he noted.
Suddenly, armed assailants surrounded the vehicle, forcing everyone to get down.
Men inside the car were shot and killed on the spot, while women were initially set aside. Two men who attempted to escape through the windows were shot in the legs.
“The attackers continued firing, killing four people inside the vehicle. One survivor managed to break the glass and jump out, but the attackers set the car on fire, leaving her with severe burns on her back,” Tuffour revealed.
The chairman confirmed that he has received visuals of the aftermath from the Ghanaian Embassy, describing the scene as devastating and a profound loss for the trading community.
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