The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomole, has said that Nigerian borders with neighbouring countries should remain closed until they comply with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocols.
Oshiomole stated this when he paid a solidarity visit to the office of the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali in Abuja on Thursday.
He APC is strongly in support of the border closure and all other reforms being carried out by the service, adding that such action should be sustained for the economic growth of the country.
He said the APC under his leadership is impressed and has resolved to identify with the NCS on the feat recorded so far.
“The state must have control over the economy and Nigeria is absolutely right in taking the decision having been victims of expired rice brought in through the porous borders. It is a shame that after spending much to reposition agriculture, we still allow people to import expired rice into our country. We are lucky to have a president who told us to consume what we produce in the country in order to grow our economy.
“People are complaining that the prices of food commodities have gone up. Our farmers should make money from their sweat. Over the years, farmers got a good harvest, sometimes with right prices but smugglers often crash the prices,” he said.
The APC chairman urged Nigerians to go into farming and take advantage of the current good price of food produce.
He said the policy of the Buhari-led government would eradicate poverty and take prosperity to the rural people.
According to him, Nigeria as a country comes first, second and third before any other thing.
“There are rules of the game and the rules must be followed,” he said.
“NCS is a critical organisation to ensure we do not export prosperity abroad and import poverty to the country. Yes, Nigeria is a big brother to other African countries, but the big brother should not be poisoned through the importation of expired rice to the country Buhari’s support base is the masses, the commoners and this policy is for them, that is why we are supporting it,” he stated.
Ali, in his response, thanked the APC chairman for identifying with the service in the step taken to boost the economy.
He said the border closure has boosted the nation’s revenue and also reduced the rate of insecurity in the country.
Ali said that the borders would remain closed until neighbouring countries comply with the ECOWAS protocols on the transit of goods and services, which they have all signed.
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