The Nigerian Senate has criticized the continued closure of land borders in the last one month, saying the policy decision is not only scaring investors away, but remains a defeatist temporary solution to a permanent problem.
Though the debate for the closure of borders was lead by former Customs boss and Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Adamu Aliero in his sponsored motion titled; “The Impact of Border Closure on the Nigerian Economy,” a number of senators rose in utter challenge with credible facts that swallowed Aliero’s position that the shutdown is yielding results.
Abia State lawmaker, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe faulted the closure saying the closure of the borders had affected the prices of food and other services in the market, which were predominantly imported through land borders.
According to him, both farmers and other small business owners were also struggling to ply their legitimate trade across the borders, wondering why government decided to punish Nigerians when there are well paid border security personnel.
However, he argued that rather than visit Nigerians with the official inactivity of detailed border security operatives who could not do their jobs diligently, the executive should rather come up with permanent solutions by expanding trade to other countries within the West African sub region, instead of closing the borders.
In his chilling presentation, former Minister of Interior, Senator Abba Moro revealed that there were currently 87 legitimate entry points through land borders in the country, while illegal border routes were as many as 1,197.
Moro 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.
While noting that the current closure does not serve the interest of Nigerians, he called on the Federal Government to come up with a permanent solution that would serve the interest of Nigerians, noting that border closure that is not in times of war remains economically was counterproductive.
On this note, former governor of Benue State, Mr Gabriel Suswam wondered why agencies responsible for policing the borders have failed to carry out their duties and there was no punitive measures rather Nigerians are presented to suffer the inactivity or corrupt tendencies of border security operatives.
In his sound argument, the Senator representing Lagos West, Olamilekan Adeola observed that since the border closure, there had been geometric jump in cost of foodstuff as local production could not meet the demand of Nigerians.
The Lagos lawmaker revealed that since the closure, some Nigerians have also been trapped and cannot return to the country even as loaded locally made industrial products for West African markets have littered the border post and some getting destroyed by staying in loaded trucks for too long without air inlet.
In general, the Senate called on the presidency to reconsider the closure and come up with more salutary policy that will not embarrass Nigeria in the international community when we are not in war with our neighbours.
