Tensions Ease at Adjen Kotoku Onion Market After Ghana–Nigeria Trade Dispute

Calm has been restored at the Adjen Kotoku Onion Market following a brief standoff between Ghanaian traders and Nigerian suppliers over onion imports, Kessben Maakye reporter Derrick Baafi confirmed.

The dispute, which disrupted trading activities earlier this week, stemmed from disagreements over supply arrangements between local traders and their Nigerian counterparts.

According to a Ghanaian driver at the market, traders in Ghana have, for the past eight years, relied on onion imports from Niger and Burkina Faso, with Nigeria later joining as a key supplier. He explained that an understanding had been reached with Nigerian traders to regulate the number of trucks delivering onions at any given time.

However, tensions escalated after Nigerian suppliers allegedly exceeded the agreed supply limits.

“We agreed on the number of trucks they should bring at a time, but now they are bringing more than the market can handle,” the driver said. “When that happens, the onions rot, and we incur huge losses.”

In response, Ghanaian traders reportedly prevented 16 Nigerian trucks from offloading their goods at the Adjen Kotoku market.

The situation intensified when Nigerian authorities allegedly seized 55 Ghanaian trucks transporting goods from Niger through Nigeria, in what traders described as a retaliatory move.

“The Nigerians said they no longer agree with the initial terms of supplying a controlled quantity at specific times,” the driver added.

In the heat of this disagreement,

Security agencies intervened to de-escalate the situation, leading to the release of the impounded trucks on both sides. Market activities have since resumed, with traders expressing hope for a lasting resolution.

Stakeholders are now calling on government authorities and trade regulators to step in and facilitate fresh negotiations to prevent future disruptions and ensure a stable trading environment.

Despite earlier reports suggesting possible injuries, sources at the market confirmed that “no casualties or injuries were recorded during the incident, it was only a banter of words”, they noted.