•Say Nigerians suffering, prices of goods skyrocketing


•Reveal existence of 1,197 illegal border routes

Fred Itua, Abuja



Senators, yesterday, opposed the closure of land borders by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government. They said the closure was a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

Contributing to a motion sponsored by Adamu Aliero, tagged “The Impact of Border Closure on the Nigerian Economy,” Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abba Moro, Gabriel Suswam, Ibikunle Amosun, Solomon Adeola and others who opposed the total closure, urged the President to reconsider his stance.

Abaribe. in his contribution to the debate, said the closure of the borders had affected the prices of food and other services in the market, which were predominantly imported through land borders.

He added that farmers and other small business owners were also struggling to ply their legitimate trade across the borders, wondering why government decided to punish Nigerians.

He, therefore, urged the executive to come up with permanent solutions by expanding trade to other countries within the West African subregion, instead of closing the borders.

Moro, who served as minister of interior in President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, told his colleagues that there were currently 87 legitimate entry points through land borders in the country, while illegal border routes were as many as 1,197.

He lamented that the closure has affected Nigerians who ply legitimate trades along the borders, while those engaged in smuggling were still carrying out their trade through the illegal routes.

Moro called on the Federal Government to come up with a permanent solution that would serve the interest of Nigerians. He said the current policy was counterproductive.

Suswam, in his contribution, wondered why agencies responsible for policing the borders have failed to carry out their duties.

He specifically queried the relevance of the Immigration, Border Commission and others. He urged his colleagues to assist Buhari by appropriating more funds to the Border Commission and others to get aircraft and provide aerial surveillance.

Former governor of Ogun State, Amosun, said, while he supported the security benefits of the closure, he was, however, opposed to the hardship it had brought to Nigerians living along the borders.

Adeola, on his part, said the local production of food items could not meet the demand of Nigerians. He said some Nigerians have also been trapped and cannot return to the country.

Other senators who spoke called for a review of the policy. They said, based on the current ECOWAS protocol, there should be free movement of goods and people within the West African subregion.

They said the closure would paint Nigeria as a country that doesn’t honour international agreements.

Aliero, in his lead debate diagreed with his colleagues that the border closure was in bad taste. He claimed that the closure had started yielding result in the areas of internal security, economy and others.

He said: “As a result of the situation in the border towns, the Nigerian economy is experiencing a lot of positive derivatives that is impacting on the country. For instance, fuel smuggling has significantly reduced, thereby saving the country billions of scarce foreign exchange spent by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to import fuel into Nigeria.

“The group managing director of NNPC, during a press conference recently, stated that smugglers were no longer finding it easy to smuggle petroleum products through the land borders, consequently, petroleum products have become readily available in every part of the country.

“The smuggling of textile and vegetable oil imported from Malaysia through the land borders, which has negatively affected local production, is equally ground to a halt. The good news of the Federal Government’s action is that it has led to the revival of local production of vegetable oil, and increased employment generation.”

In its resolution, the Senate urged the executive to come up with a new mechanisms to tackle issues affecting the borders.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/senators-oppose-border-closure/

What food do we get through land borders?

Okay

lets see what's going to happen in comming days, Buhari should understand his good intentions may or may not count when a policy isnt properly researched before sudden implementation.... High level economical policies no matter how small it is may have very high unintended impact on the masses.

I personally dont mind buying Rice for 20k or sticking to my Favourite amala if it means border closure would drastically drop the rate of kidnaping done by Fulani aliens moving arms in and out of our territory


...

Enemies of the state

It seems like the Beninese President is not cooperating with Nigeria government

The borders should remain closed.

GavelSlam:
What food do we get through land borders?

rice, tomato paste, veg oil, palm oil, frozen chicken fish and turkey, flour, sugar,.

Sensible people are talking Gabriel suswam is putting mouth also.. Such a shame.

If Benue people could vote that man back into senate, then they really deserve fulani attacks

The first time i tried that Nigerian Rice, i nearly lost my teeth to stones and sands. Abeg mek we use foreign rice celebrate our Christmas o.

Well please visit our new website https://lifestyles.ng

We are all in it together

It was only Abaribe and Moro that said something.

Others are just afraid and sugar coating words.

Because say Christians are about celebrating Xmas das y he closed d border,wish I can curse any thumb finger that voted for dis brain Dead man.

Why was the border closed at the first time?

Who amongst you have tried that so called Nigerian rice?

Like white gummy potty

gud day, pls i seriously need a job, i am a graduate of accounting (hnd) 07037799108

helinues:
It seems like the Beninese President is not cooperating with Nigeria government

That is exactly what is happening.
Drastic situations require drastic measures.

The borders should remain closed because it will benefit Nigerians a lot.

anEye4anEye:
Who amongst you have tried that so called Nigerian rice?

Like white gummy potty

These ones will never see anything good as long as it is from their country.
And they will be the first to complain of hunger in the land.
But they prefer foreign products.
Pathetic.

Better change your views to life so that you can enjoy life.

Closing the borders is a temporary solution to a permanent problem. If the customs cannot man the borders, why are they still employed? The person saying that the closure has increased local production is a chronic liar. The border has only been closed for a few weeks, how many things have we produced since then? When Dangote commended the border closure, I kind of sensed that something was amiss. It has everything to do with protecting vested interests and not for the good of the common man. Equip the customs, re-open the borders. The officers should be trained on the dangers of taking bribes and smuggling and let the ECOWAS agreement stand. We can only grow better by doing business with our neighbors. The Nigerian government should instead pressure the neighboring countries to ban the importation of goods that can be produced locally. It should be step by step. We are the giants here!!

Borders closed or ot,Nigeria is gone

GavelSlam:
What food do we get through land borders?

Rice from Thailand passing through Republic of Benin to Nigeria.

[s]

post=82573057:

These ones will never see anything good as long as it is from their country.
Pathetic.
Better change your views to life so that you can enjoy life.

[/s]

[s]

post=82573018:

That is exactly what is happening.
Drastic situations require drastic measures.

[/s]

Noted

But should be closed till a permanent solution is implemented. Full stop!

sotall:
Enemies of the state

Am sorry but I don't share this with you, I don't think these individuals are enemies of the state, inasmuch as the border closure will stimulate local production (if and only if corresponding actions are been carried out as we speak), they are more concerned about the state of the nations presently with respect to consumer prices cos prior to the closure of the border there were NO visible palative measure to this effect as regards alternative.

Most people are really suffering and it's no longer funny as depression has become the order of the day.

God bless Nigeria.