Border closure not breaching free trade agreement, FG says
- Border closure has not breached the free trade agreement
- According to Nanono, the measure was meant to protect the country and its citizens from the nefarious activities
- Going further, the minister said the FG was holding talks with the countries concerned to ensure that they kept to the terms of the free trade agreement
Sabo Nanono, Nigeria's minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has disclosed that the federal government’s closure of the Nigerian border does not in any way breach the free trade agreement in the West African sub-region.
The minister said on Sunday, December 15, in Abuja.
He said the measure was meant to protect the country and its citizens from the nefarious activities which take place at the borders.
Going further, he said the federal government was holding talks with the countries concerned to ensure that they kept to the terms of the free trade agreement.
He added that the border closure was not meant to hurt anybody.
The minister also noted that a lot of activities were going on at the borders which were not in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
“Nigeria became a dumping ground for all kinds of imports, especially rice, which used to come from these neighbouring countries.
“The unfortunate thing about it is that most of the rice being imported are not healthy and 100 per cent of these rice were not produced in these countries. They were produced elsewhere."
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that following the controversy that followed its visa on arrival for Africans policy, the comptroller general, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede, said the decision was to accelerate African Integration.
This was disclosed in a statement in Abuja by Sunday James, the NIS public relations officer.
According to him, Babandede said the decision would remove barriers hindering free movement of people within the continent.
NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better
Border Closure: Price of rice may rise to N40k/bag before December | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
