The killing of seven Ghanaians in a jihadist attack on a tomato truck in Burkina Faso has renewed concerns about the safety of cross-border traders and Ghana’s heavy dependence on imported vegetables.
The Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism, Mutaru Mumuni Mukhtar, says the incident should force authorities to rethink how trade is conducted along high-risk routes in the Sahel.
Speaking on Good Afternoon Ghana on Metro TV on Monday, February 16, 2026, Mukhtar said many traders travel into volatile areas without proper security assessment.
“It appears that it was without any kind of security assessment of their own safety in the area,” he said, referring to routes around Titao in northern Burkina Faso, where the attack reportedly occurred.
Mukhtar said the long-running insurgency in Burkina Faso has made such journeys increasingly dangerous.
“This is a very known area that has been under insurgency for quite some time,” he noted.
“We’ve seen significant levels of attacks there over the last six or seven years.”
He suggested that authorities may need to consider temporary restrictions on movement through high-risk corridors.
“Immediately, we may recommend suspending movement along this route,” Mukhtar said, adding that such steps could help prevent further loss of life.
However, he warned that short-term bans alone would not solve the problem.
“Way beyond that, we need to ensure that we are addressing it in a more sustainable way,” he said.
Mukhtar argued that the tragedy should also reignite debate about Ghana’s dependence on imported tomatoes, particularly from Burkina Faso.
“Tomato production in Ghana, what is the state of tomato production in Ghana?” he asked. “Those things are key.”
According to him, strengthening local farming could reduce the need for traders to travel into unsafe areas and lower exposure to extremist violence.
“If we are reliant on domestic sources of supply, it reduces the risk to our traders,” he said.
Beyond the human cost, Mukhtar warned that insecurity along trade routes could affect prices and livelihoods.
“Terrorism is very, very expensive,” he said. “It affects insurance, it affects the cost of goods and services.”
He explained that higher risks often translate into higher transport and insurance costs, which are eventually passed on to consumers.
“That cost is passed on to the citizens,” he added.
Mukhtar said the situation also reflects wider regional security failures, urging stronger coordination through bodies such as ECOWAS.
“When it comes to security, there have been limited situations of success,” he said.
He also pointed to the Accra Initiative as an important platform that needs renewed commitment.
“There are renewed efforts to recalibrate it,” he said. “We need to escalate our commitment to intelligence sharing and coordination.”
Mukhtar acknowledged that restricting trade routes could hurt traders who depend on daily cross-border business.
“Security measures are very often a function of threat perception,” he said. “We must balance safety with livelihoods.”
He urged authorities to involve trader associations, security agencies and agricultural experts in developing safer alternatives.
He stressed that protecting traders requires more than armed patrols.
“We need to deal with governance, infrastructure and economic opportunities,” he said.
“That is how we prevent people from being exposed to these dangers.”
According to him, unless Ghana invests in safer trade systems and stronger local production, traders will remain vulnerable.
“If we don’t fix these foundations,” he warned, “we will continue to see ordinary people pay the price.”
