Chief of Staff Julius Debrah joined the family of Constance Nyarko, affectionately known as Yaa Yaa, to mourn the departed at her final funeral rites in Koforidua over the weekend.
Constance was among the Ghanaian tomato traders killed in a terrorist attack.
On 14 February 2026, a group of Ghanaian tomato traders traveling by truck to Titao in northern Burkina Faso were ambushed.
Gunmen opened fire on the traders who had crossed the border to purchase tomatoes.
Seven traders were killed, and several others were injured, with some survivors hospitalised.
The tragedy has sparked government discussions in Ghana regarding cross-border trade and security.
The late Constance, aged 43, left behind two children.
Chief of Staff Debrah was accompanied by Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, MMDCEs, and other regional and constituency executives of the NDC. The Ghana National Tomato Traders Association expressed gratitude to the government for supporting their members after the attack.
World Bank supports production of tomatoes
In a related development, the World Bank has secured a $20 million grant from the Dutch government to help mitigate the effects of a looming tomato shortage in Ghana.
This follows a recent export ban by Burkina Faso, a key tomato supplier, which has disrupted supply chains and raised concerns over potential shortages and rising prices.
Speaking at a World Bank–CSO engagement on food security in Accra, Agricultural Economist Dr. Ashwini Sebastian said the World Bank will work with the local tomato traders’ association to strengthen supply chains, improve storage facilities, and support domestic production.
“Our colleagues from the Dutch embassy will assist. We have leveraged a small grant to secure $20 million for tomato interventions in Ghana from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We are now in the phase of designing the intervention. We will engage the tomato association further, particularly on the location and clustering of the projects,” Dr. Sebastian added.
