Burkina Faso Tomato Ban a ‘Wake-Up Call’ – BoG Governor

By Nii Trebi Hammond

Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, has described Burkina Faso’s ban on tomato exports to Ghana as a “wake-up call” for the country to boost local production.

Speaking at the Ghana Exim Bank@10 International Conference , he said Ghana should not face shortages of basic commodities it can produce itself.

“The Burkina issue is actually a wake-up call,” he said.

The decision by Burkina Faso has exposed Ghana’s vulnerability as a small, commodity-dependent economy, highly sensitive to external shocks.

Dr. Asiama noted that non-traditional exports account for only about 10% of Ghana’s export earnings, stressing the need for diversification.

He said discussions are underway with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to scale up local production, pointing to areas such as Agogo where tomatoes can be grown.

He also highlighted opportunities for youth employment in agriculture, noting that crops like onions mature within three to four months.

According to him, the central bank will work with key institutions to turn the current situation into an opportunity for economic transformation.