The Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) has urged stakeholders involved in cross-border trade in agricultural commodities with Burkina Faso to strictly comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing the sector to avoid sanctions.
The call follows a ban by the Burkinabe Government on the export of shea nuts and selected grains.
A statement issued by the NRCC and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on Monday said the Government of Burkina Faso had instituted strict sanctions against individuals involved in the illicit export of shea nuts and selected grains, including millet, maize, and soybeans.
According to the statement, “An official communication received from the National Security Council Secretariat indicates that the Burkinabe Government has imposed sanctions, including the confiscation of vehicles and the prosecution of individuals involved in the illicit export of shea nuts and selected grains such as millet, maize, and soybeans from Burkina Faso.”
The NRCC urged business operators, haulage drivers, transport owners, and export companies in the region to exercise extreme caution and adhere strictly to all laws and regulations governing cross-border trade in agricultural commodities in Burkina Faso.
It also called on traditional authorities, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), market associations, as well as trade and transport unions across the region to help disseminate the information among their members and constituents to ensure compliance.
The statement assured that “The Government of Ghana remains committed to supporting lawful cross-border trade and collaboration between Ghanaians and Burkinabes and will ensure that its citizens are informed and guided accordingly.”
