Tamale, Ghana — The Ghana Shea Employers Association has issued a passionate plea to the government to consider restricting, or preferably banning, the exportation of shea nuts from the country.

According to the association, the continuous export of raw shea nuts is crippling local businesses and threatening thousands of jobs, especially those held by women in the shea industry.

At a press conference held in Tamale, the association highlighted the growing scarcity of shea nuts on the local market, blaming it on aggressive foreign demand.

They warned that if swift action is not taken to halt the mass exportation, the shea industry in Ghana could face collapse.

“Our businesses are dying, and many women who depend on shea processing for their livelihoods are being forced out of work,” said a spokesperson for the association.

“We are not asking for much—just for the government to protect the local industry by ensuring the availability of raw materials.”

The association emphasized that the shea sector is a critical source of employment, particularly for rural women’s groups, and called for stronger policy interventions to safeguard the future of the industry.

Industry observers have long called for value addition to shea products within Ghana to maximize profits and create jobs.

The latest appeal adds urgency to ongoing discussions around protecting local industries from the adverse effects of unchecked exportation.

The association plans to petition relevant government ministries in the coming days to press home their demands.

Report By: Alhassan D. Baba