Stakeholders lauds FG over border reopening

Chinazo Megbolu    |

Some stakeholders in the maritime industry has expressed happiness over the recent reopening of the border stations.

While lauding the government for this initiative, they believe that it will breath life into the cross-border trade at the border community as well as the country’s economy.

The National Vice President, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Segun Musa stated that the reopening will bring about traffic reduction in the maritime and aviation sectors.

“It would definitely reduce traffic inbound at the maritime and aviation sectors because of the huge cost of doing business at the two economic gateways.

“Definitely the traffic within the borders would gradually pickup again and grow rapidly with the support of ACFTA activities within the corridor,” Musa said.

He explained that the economy would also gradually  light up if government takes the rightful approach to address the ingredients of ACFTA to the benefits of trade integration, facilitation and enhance efficiency that guarantees enabling environments for all players.

Mr. Emmanuel Ayodele, in a phone conversations said: “Opening of borders has both negative and positive effects. The positive effect is that it will bring down the cost of some certain goods like, cars because clearing and customs duties is very high at our sea ports unlike in Cotonou.

“The negative effect is that it will affect the production of things like rice , there by reducing our production capacity that will affect our self sufficiency and ultimately income and revenue to both farmers and government”.

Ms. Vivian Ojo on her part stated that the reopening of the border will allow exporters in Nigeria to recapture their share of informal and formal trade (maritime trade inclusive ) that has been lost while also allowing the exporter beyond West Africa to have access to Nigerian market also in the region’s substantial informal economy.