Since the closure of land borders, Nigerians have been lamenting the adverse effects of the borders which according to many inflicts untold hardship on Nigerians. While some applaud the Federal Government’s decision as they believe it is the only way to get patronage for made in Nigeria products, there are some questions that need to be answered. What are some of the effects of the closure on ordinary Nigerians? Is this the right step in curbing smuggling? How will this closure savage Nigeria’s economy? ANTHONIA DURU went to town with these questions. Excerpts.
‘Smuggling through our borders frustrates our production chain’ – Enenche Enenche
WHEN my wife told me that the price of frozen turkey had gone up in the market, that was when the effect of the border closure dawned on me. Even when turkey import was banned, the goods still found expression in our borders. With the price of rice also rising, then most of the rice in our markets were smuggled in. Let’s face it as Nigerians; farms and factories in Europe, Asia and America have been using neighbouring countries as a landing base for their goods, and smuggling them through our borders to frustrate our chains of production. I support the border closure, we can’t just continue like this. Our consumption patterns are creating jobs in farms and factories abroad, while unemployment increases at home.
‘The pains we are going through, the cost of a better tomorrow’ – Akinwaleola Akinwumi
I think it is a right decision at the right time. However, I just wish and pray that the government will be able to sustain the decision and gain from it, if judiciously used. Nigerians have started thinking inwardly now due to this closure and some other government policies. Personally, I see the pains we the citizens are passing through now as the cost of a better tomorrow if only our leaders can be faithful to most of these policies. ‘Every country has the right to protect its territory’- Aret Paul-Cyril I believe that just like individuals have the right to protect their homes, their properties and their territories, every country has the right also to protect their territories. It doesn’t mean that such individuals or the countries do not welcome visitors into their homes or countries, but they want to know who comes in and out of their territories. As an entity, you have a choice of who you admit into your home that way, you plan the resources to make your visitors and your children comfortable. The intention behind closing is important. Are you closing because you don’t care about others or because you want to organise things for the benefit of all.
‘We need to join the govt. in curbing this long time problem’ – Sunday Omitogu
Nigeria border closure in my opinion, is a step towards achieving an economically independent Nigeria. It is also a very hard decision we need to make to curb the influx of substandard and adulterated materials: drugs, foods, tyres, fabrics that find their way into the country through the back door. Furthermore, saboteurs who betray our commonwealth by taking our petroleum products to neighbouring countries through illegal means are also curbed. We need to join force with the government to overcome these long time problems once.
‘It won’t be easy, but we can endure’ – Owolabi Osho
The border closure is a good start up for us as a nation, so that we can focus working on what we can do to better our situation by producing some of our basic needs ourselves. It won’t be easy, but if we can endure, Nigeria can also become a rice exporting country instead of depending so much on foreign rice that is not as nutritious as our locally made rice due to several chemicals that is used to preserve them for longevity before its consumption. I also found out that presently, there are about two million bags of rice that are stuck in Cotonou waiting to be imported into Nigerian market, this shows our over-dependence on imported items. Few decades ago, the Republic of China also took the steps we are taking now buy closing their borders for three years. They did not allow anything that is made outside their country come in. So everybody went back to their drawing boards and started producing. Some went into farming, others mining, manufacturing and today their economy has become so mighty that they are almost at the same level with America. If we can maintain this, in few years, we can boldly say as a nation that we can feed ourselves without depending on foreign rice. It will affect a lot of things but it all sums up for our good as a nation.
‘Let us secure our borders, eliminate corruption by custom officers’ – Yemisi Ransome-Kuti
All I see in this issue are conflicting views. Some say it’s the correct move and others declare that Nigeria is saving money and protecting the local industries. I believe the answer is somewhere in the middle. The most important thing is the process. If we’re able to secure our borders legitimately and eliminate corruption by custom officers, we will achieve the best results without breaking international agreements or harming legitimate businesses.
‘Its closure reaffirms our position as giants of Africa’ – Oladimeji Oseni
This is bad business for those that have invested so much on regular trades through that corridor, and the ripple effect on the price of items affects the entire population especially the average Nigerian. But looking at it from an economic point of view, I think it’s a process that would be positive on the long run, because as a nation we ought to have a balance between our imports and exports. However, as a consuming country that we are, we import practically almost everything we consume which makes us a spending nation. The closure of the borders reaffirms our position as the giant of Africa; now we can have our neighbours sign to policies that favour us before we deal with them. If well managed, Nigerians will be happy at the end of the day.
