Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said the Federal Government was partnering with neighbouring countries to ensure that the country’s porous borders are better policed.
This, he said, would tackle smuggling and the influx of counterfeit products into the country.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, the Vice President spoke while receiving a delegation of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja
Osinbajo was quoted as saying that the step would further promote the patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products and boost the country’s manufacturing sector.
Speaking further on the issue of checking smuggling and counterfeit products, the Vice-President said certain sections of the laws should be amended to attract stringent monetary penalties for defaulters, which would serve as deterrent and also to protect the quality of goods in the country.
“More importantly, the whole issue is that we are able to police the borders.
“Last week, we had discussions with all the agencies connected; including the Customs, the Minister of Internal Affairs, NPA, and we were looking at how we can work with our neighbours, especially the Benin Republic, and our neighbours also in the North, to police our borders as much as we can,” Osinbajo said
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