National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has spoken the mind of the Federal government on possible re-opening of the closed borders. In his meeting with the delegated of Vietnam led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue, Adam Oshiomhole has once again reaffirmed the position of the federal government. He said the Federal Government will not reverse its policy on the closure of its borders with its neighbours and importation of rice.
The delegation came to seek an audience with the APC National Working Committee to prevail on the government to review its stance on the ban on importation of rice.
Speaking with newsmen after the closed-door meeting which lasted for over two hours, Comrade Oshiomhole told newsmen that he told the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam and his team in clear terms that the decision would not be reversed. He said importation of food, particularly rice was injurious to the economy.
He said: “Nigerians should unanimously back the decision of the federal government to close the border until our neighbours try to respect the laws of fair and free trade. Nigeria must not and can’t be a dumping ground for imported food, imported rice and other smuggled chemicals and drugs from other countries.
“I think this is one policy that Nigerians across the party divide, across primordial sentiments, should salute the courage of President Muhammadu Buhari in closing down the borders.
“For too long, Nigeria has been a big brother to our neighbours. Now, that big brother is hurting and hurting very, very badly. We must secure ourselves as in the way you board an aircraft that if oxygen fails, and they drop the mask, you help yourself before helping others. This is the moment. We must close the borders even if we do it for two, three years, it doesn’t matter. So that our neighbours will begin to respect the rules of international engagement and trade.
“What has happened is that people relocate out of Nigeria, target Nigerian market, use our neighbours to compromise our own trade policies.
