FOR BORDER TO REOPEN: FG Insists 30% Local Input On ECOWAS Goods

The federal government has given conditions for the reopening of the nation’s border posts.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Godfrey Onyema who stated these on Monday at the end of a committee meeting, insisted that ECOWAS countries must respect rules of origin, vowing that Nigeria will no longer tolerate repackaging of imported goods.

He declared that any goods coming into the country from ECOWAS states must have 30% local inputs.

The federal government maintained that goods imported for Nigeria market must be escorted directly from the port of member states directly to the borders.

Recall that the federal government had extended the closure of the borders with neighboring countries indefinitely.

According to a statement over weekend,President Muhammadu Buhari  approved the extension of the joint border operations code-named Exercise Swift Response which has led to the total shutdown of land frontiers across the country.

The land borders are expected to be reopened on January 31, 2020, thus dashing the hopes of entrepreneurs in the West African region who were optimistic that the Nigerian government will end the military exercise before Christmas.

In a circular dated November 1, 2019 (NCS/ENF/ABJ/221/S.45) and signed by the Comptroller of Customs in charge of enforcement, Victor David Dimka, to the Sector Coordinators, joint border operations drill (Exercise Swift Response), Sectors 1, 2, 3 & 4, it directed them to note the new development and comply accordingly.