Islamic scholar carpets Buhari over continued border closure

Abiola Seun |

Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheihk Ahmad Mahmud Gumi has attributed the high price of commodities in the country to the continued closure of borders by the Buhari- led Federal Government.

He said in an interview with the BBC Hausa, that economic problems in a country could cause serious hardship, and therefore it is imperative that government takes the appropriate measures.

“First of all,it was not proper to close borders when the people are in need of food to eat.

“Leaving the border open will enable farmers from all over the world to bring in their food products. Doing so will make food products to be cheap because everyone would like to sell.”

“Now for example in Thailand, they have produced rice in enormous quantities. The rice is about to spoil. You see, if they realize the rice will spoil, they can bring it at a cheaper price.

” In America, we’ve seen how they are disposing off milk. So,if you close your border and you don’t have enough, definitely there will be wastage elsewhere,” he said.

The Kaduna based Islamic scholar also called on government to look at the issue of electric tariff with a view to reducing it.

According to him,” we all know it is water from Allah and from the dam that help in producing electric power..It is not any huge money that is spent in the matter. So why should people be pressed so hard, people whose salary is nothing to talk about?”