NIGERIA LAND BORDER CLOSURE (NLBC): MATTERS ARISING
ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement and Trans-border Security, and Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Our neighbour must respect the terms of ECOWAS protocol on Free Movement and Trans-border Security, and Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). In the case of the former the issues of Local Content, Value Addition etc are issued that needed more attention while in the case of the latter, there are issues still being negotiated like trade concession agreements and rules of origin. All these bring to the fore the fact that no agreement is at large, so, parties must engage in fair trade without unnecessarily taking advantage of one another.
Way out It is heart warming that the government of some of the countries affected have opened a communication channel with Nigeria government on how to resolve this border logjam. This must be sustained with practicable memorandum of agreement with all the affected countries.
Our custom and other border agencies must put in place a robust and real time identification mechanism for goods and men that are inbound and outbound Nigeria through the land borders with a view to isolating infraction and administering fines where necessary. Borders that cannot be patrolled and secured with the right personnel should remain closed!