Nigeria’s Border Closure Targets Criminals, Not Countries – Minister

The Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, and his Ghanaian counterpart, Shirley Botchwey, said both countries have agreed on modalities to resolve the trade challenges arising from the recent border closure by Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the shutdown of Nigeria’s land borders in August in a bid to checkmate smuggling of goods into the country.

Commenting on the closure Botchwey, during a meeting with Nigeria’s high commissioner Olufemi Abikoye on Tuesday said Ghanaian traders had been subjected to several losses because their goods have been detained for weeks at the Seme border.

She further requested that Nigeria reopens its borders to the subregion for free movement of goods.

Following the Ghanaian ministers request, Onyeama while briefing journalist after his meeting with Botchwey in Abuja explained that Nigerians border closure is not targeted at any country but criminal activities.

 “We are trying to find a way through because the mischief is not related to trade with Ghana.

“We are hoping that from there you will be able to take back positive message to your president, the business, and trade community. And we will sort it out as soon as possible because time is of the essence.

“No country is targeted; we are within ECOWAS; we respect the ECOWAS rules, free movement of persons, and goods and that should continue,” he noted.

Describing the meeting as fruitful, Botchwey said both countries have agreed on the process that would lead to the resolution of the menace which according to her the first move was to provide the Nigerian government with more details of the companies that do business in the country, the kind of business that they do, and the details of the trucks that have been stuck on the Benin side of the border.

“Once we are able to give them that, both sides will determine the modalities that we need to put in place for the safe passage.”