The Upper East Regional Correspondence of the Class Media Group and a development Communication Specialist, Moses Apiah, has urged the Ghanaian government to leverage Burkina Faso’s recent ban on the export of fresh tomatoes to Ghana as an opportunity to revive the country’s once-thriving tomato industry. 

At the same time, he criticised the government’s 24-Hour Market construction initiative in the Upper East Region as a waste of resources.

According to Apiah, the ban by Burkina Faso is not just a protective measure for their own agriculture; it is a signal for Ghanaians to “put their act together” and revisit the country’s lost glory in tomato production. 

“Who remembers the Northern Star Production Factory?” he asked.

“This was a leading tomato production company in Northern Ghana, a symbol of progress and a source of livelihood for thousands of farmers.”

The journalist recounted the unfortunate events that led to the factory’s closure in 2008, describing it as a combination of arrogance, indifference, and poor management.

The factory, under the then manager Kwame Bonsu, had an agreement with local farmers: the company would provide subsidised seeds, and the farmers would sell back their harvest at a moderate price. 

However, heavy rains destroyed 80% of the crops, and when farmers requested partial support to replant, Bonsu refused. When harvest time came, the factory insisted on buying the tomatoes at the original subsidised price, prompting farmers to sell elsewhere.

Bonsu ultimately chose to shut down the factory, leaving the region without a major processing facility, a situation that persists to this day.

Apiah emphasised that since the factory’s collapse, successive governments have promised to revive the tomato industry but have failed to implement tangible measures.
“Even the NDC government campaigned in 2024 on revamping several factories in the Upper East Region, including the Northern Star Factory,” he said.

“A year has passed, and there is still no visible commitment.”

Apiah also noted that the few remaining tomato farmers in the Upper East Region have received little government support, particularly in experimenting with climate-resilient seeds or learning from regional best practices. 

He recalled how a late initiative by Mr. Francis Annor, aimed at enabling farmers to study tomato production methods in Burkina Faso, was dismissed by the NPP government and the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu as “useless” and denied funding.

“Burkinabé people are serious, and their youth are thoughtful and forward-thinking compared to us,” Apiah said.

“The only time you see a Ghanaian youth thinking critically is when defending a politician—and that, I say, is a sign we are cooked.”

He further criticised government spending on the 24-Hour Markets in the region, calling it a “most wasteful, unthinkable, zero-plan, and visionless initiative.”

He questioned the feasibility of these markets, asking, “What will they be selling? Nkoko Nkitinkiti?” highlighting the lack of planning and vision in the project.

He concluded by urging Ghanaian authorities and stakeholders to seize the current opportunity.

“Burkina Faso made a smart move by banning the export of fresh tomatoes.

We must use this as a vehicle to revitalise our tomato industry, from farming to the production of canned and processed products, so that we can regain our lost economic glory.”