FETILISERS BEING SMUGGLED TO NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES? (PAGE 42, AUGUST 9, 2010)

FERTILISERS meant for Ghanaian farmers are being smuggled through unapproved routes in the Bawku Municipality to neighbouring Togo and Burkina Faso.
Sources at the entry points to the two countries confirmed to the Daily Graphic that the situation was worrying and needed drastic measures to curb it.
A visit to some border towns in the Bawku Municipality showed that some unscrupulous persons were bent on thwarting efforts of the government to assist farmers by diverting the products from the intended beneficiaries.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) said the activity was very rampant at the catchment area of the check point, adding that the products were conveyed in vehicles and donkey-carts during day time and in the night.
The CEPS officer said between July and August this year, a number of seizures were made.
He cited for instance that on July 14, this year, personnel of the service chanced upon two donkey-carts loaded with 25 bags of assorted fertilisers (NPK 15-15-15) and Urea which were intercepted and are currently in their custody.
He said again on July 15, this year, a KIA truck with registration number GT4382 Q arrived at the edge of the White Volta River at Mognori, an entry point to Burkina Faso, fully loaded with fertilisers carted through unapproved routes.
The officer explained that when he had a hint through an informant, he quickly rushed to the scene but the people were in the process of crossing with the goods into Burkina Faso and all attempts to seize them proved futile as he was alone.
He said the people in the catchment area were not co-operative at all and when anyone tried to implement the law, he became a ‘target’ which put the person’s life in great danger.
When the Municipal Chief Executive for Bawku, Mr Musa Abdulai, was contacted on the issue, he confirmed the incidents of smuggling, but said measures were being made to curb the menace.
“Notwithstanding the numerous advice we have been giving to our people, some selfish individuals are trying to smuggle these items across the borders but we are doing our best to prevent them,” Mr Abdulai, who is also the Chairman of the Municipal Security Committee, said.
He said in addition to tightening security at the borders, the assembly was also advising farmers to, in their own interest, report any person found smuggling fertilisers across the border.
Asked why persons found with the product were not prosecuted, Mr Abdulai said sometimes it became so difficult to identify the owners as some of the donkeys carting the items were unaccompanied.