By Cynthia Egboboh Experts have decried the recent opening of the borders to only Dangote and BUA companies saying that it is a lopsid...
By Cynthia Egboboh
Experts have decried the recent opening of the borders to only Dangote and BUA companies saying that it is a lopsided and ‘selective decision’ that could engender monopoly.
Speaking at a Stakeholders’ review of policy dialogue on
border closure organised by the Nigeria Competitiveness Project in partnership
with the National Association of Nigerian Traders, in Abuja on Thursday, the
President, National Association of Nigerian Traders, Ken Ukaoha noted that the
development contradicts the principles and provisions of the recently enacted
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act signed by Mr
President.
“The decision contradicts the principles of ease of doing
business which the present administration has been vigorously pursuing as a
commendable strategy for trade facilitation.”
Ukaoha, speaking further said that there is need for the
government to immediately re-open the land borders to all genuine businesses,
deploy security intelligence sharing, surveillance tactics and trade
facilitation lessons learnt during the closure for effective policing and
regulation of the border corridors.
He said this would help to encourage trade facilitation, and
unhindered movement of genuine goods to enhance food security and livelihoods.
He explained that the continued closure of the border may
increase the devastating food and revenue shortage caused by Covid-19 and the
effect of insecurity, flooding and other climate change related challenges on
the nation’s food security agenda.
“Government should speedily reopen to all ETLS approved
products such as handicrafts, agricultural commodities and livestock products,
but consider excluding rice and other related agro-products under prohibition
so as to further enhance local productivity and market access that could
facilitate and fast track the reawakening of the economy from the current
comatose situation.
“Recall that the original intention of the border closure
was to serve essentially as a warning shot for smugglers and other criminals
using the land border to perpetrate economic sabotage and insecurity on
Nigeria’s socio-political and economic environment, and that the relevant
Security Agencies should have by now been able to identify, gather and document
enough lessons and drawn strategies to effectively control the borders for the
good of the economy and Nigerians as a whole.”
In his remark, the Lead Consultant on Private Sector
Development to the ECOWAS Commission, Ken Ife, said that there is need for the
Nigeria government to appreciate the symbiotic relationship that exists among
nigeria and its neighboring countries.
He said that the border closure has not presented a
sustainable solution to the issues of insecurity, food security and smuggling,
which were the major drivers of the protectionist policy.
He added, “At this time we need to develop trade solutions
that would enhance our trade policy with these countries. We need to understand
the dynamics of border trade as well as the symbiotic relationship in our
trade.
“We grow food to complement each other, hence we must open
up these borders in order to allow easy movement of these food apart from
processed foods.
“Re-opening the borders to allow free flow of food is
another way we can arrest the continuous rise in inflation, while ensuring that
import regulations are respected.
“We need this trade to grow the Nigerian economy and boost
competitiveness.”
The Director of Trade, Ministry of Trade and Investment,
Aliu Abubakar said efforts are ongoing to re-open the borders, as failure to do
so could adversely affect Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Continental
Free Trade Agreement.
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