Border Closure And The Incessant Pandemonium -By Umar Ak Waziri

Different minds, different opinions and reflections. However,  there always has to be a central focus for all positive thoughts regarding any sort of situation unless self-centeredness partakes. Any development set to improve people’s lives but requires an immense effort from people side rathar than government, democratically, may not be a development at all.

To stick with the topic, border also boundary,  is a demarcation that divides two countries or areas. Economically, a crucial asset that generates revenue to a nation. The border paves way for the importation and exportation of products from one country to another.

In Nigeria, for instance, borders are used for international trade with the goods mostly involved being used cars, used cloths and rice.

In spite of this, the FG has since in August closed land borders, hence, limiting the importation of the aforesaid products.

Prior to stating the implications of this action, it is pertinent to mention the reasons that led to this closure.

Borders were closed in August, only three month after signing the African Continental Free trade. Apparently the rationale behind this is to curb the influx of smuggled goods from neighboring countries such as Benin, Niger and Cameroon with a view to curtailing the menace of economic downfall in the nation and assist in changing the aforementioned ugly trends.

The effort to tackle smuggling may seemingly work. Meanwhile, another insecurity of hunger is likely to be insurmountable as it could affect perhaps a considerable percent of the population. This is obvious, because as estimated, volume of local rice production in the country is put at 3.7million tonnes per annum, while consumption is almost 7million tonnes. How could the wide gap between the production and consumption of the item be filled? With imports of course!

But surely, spending a tremendous amount of $35bn on the importation of foods annually is definitely not healthy for the economy. Not only that, but Benin republic’s exports to Nigeria are estimated at 3% of its total annual export volume, but world bank had reported that informal trade between the two countries accounts for 20% of Benin republic’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While they keep benefitting, our very own economy would be drawing back.

Not less than two weeks ago before the border closure, Chairman of Nigerian Rice Processors Association (RPA) revealed to Mr Emefiele, Governor CBN, that all the rice millers and their processors were carrying in their warehouses nothing less than 25,000 metric tons of milled rice. That means the rice had been unsold because of the smuggling and dumping of rice through republic of Benin and other border posts.

The impact of the closure on fuel was also not left out. In September, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,Mele kyari, tweeted that the closure of Nigerian borders as well as other interventions, had helped  to check the smuggling of premium motor spirit (petrol) outside Nigeria.

To this end, the comptroller-General of the NCS, col. Hameed Ali said the agency’s revenue had risen to over N5bn daily since the closure.

After giving a significance amount of consideration to all these, only an unpatriotic but pathetic Nigerian would make noise about border losure.

The ban on the importation of goods, both legitimate and otherwise, should be seen by all Nigerians as a God sent blessing and a most preferable means of rejuvenating Nigeria’s recessed economy.

Umar Ak Waziri writes from Misau LGA, Bauchi State.