Tomato Traders face Harassment in Kassena-Nankana District

Kandiga, (UE), March, 3, GNA- A number of women who travelled from the Southern sector to Burkina Faso to buy truck-full of tomatoes to sell were on Thursday beaten, and their monies and mobile phones snatched by a group of youngmen at the Kandiga junction near Navrongo in the Upper East Region.

One of the victims whose name was not given and who sustained several injuries has been admitted at the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital and is responding to treatment.

Narrating the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Navrongo, the Acting Kassena-Nankana District Police Commander, Mr. Kwaku Innocent Doe, said at about 0900 hours on Thursday, a group calling themselves "leading boys," who usually escort the tomato traders to Burkina Faso to assist them make their purchases, came to his office demanding security to escort 41 loaded trucks of tomato from Paga through Navrongo town since they were likely to be blocked by tomato farmers in the area. The District Commander said he dispatched a team of police to escort the loaded trucks to the Navrongo Police station from where they were left to proceed on their journey to the South.

He said at about 1100 hours, he got information that a group of young bandits had intercepted the tomato trucks at the Kandiga Junction and beat the tomatoes traders as well as the truck drivers and driver-mates, dragged some of them into the bush and collected their monies and mobile phones.

Mr. Doe said he again dispatched policemen to the scene who arrested the culprits and placed them in police custody in Bolgatanga. He indicated that those arrested were armed with cudgels, catapults and other weapons which they used in harassing the victims. He said he suspected that those involved were not tomato farmers but a group of idle young men who took advantage of the situation to carry out their operation.

The Acting District Commander cautioned the people of the area to volunteer information to the Police to assist them arrest such criminals. He warned the public to desist from such illegal activities or else when caught, they would be made to face the full rigours of the law.