The Sissala West District Security Committee in the Upper East Region has banned the sale and transportation of fertilizer at night.

This followed reports of alleged smuggling of the commodity across the border to neighbouring Burkina Faso for sale at higher prices.

Mr. Moses Dramani Luri, the Sissala West District Chief Executive (DCE) who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa, said the sale could only take between 0600 hours and 1800 hours each day until a time the situation would be brought under control.

He said the decision to ban the sale and transportation of fertilizer at night was taken at an emergency District Security Committee (DISEC) meeting after it received reports of the alleged smuggling of the commodity across the border for sale.

Mr. Luri said the loading and offloading of fertilizer in a vehicle must from henceforth be inspected by the District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in collaboration with the District Commanders of the Security Agencies.

The DCE noted that all moving vehicles loaded with fertilizer whether going out of the district or coming into the district must be accompanied by a waybill or a permit.

He said it was also revealed by farmers that the price of fertilizer was higher than the government approved price in the district.

Mr. Luri said a directive had therefore been issued by the Assembly to all the fertilizer agents in the district to sell at government approved prices or face the consequences for non-compliance.**