Borders should remain closed —Oshiomhole

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, says the party is strongly behind the federal government decision to close Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries.

He appealed to the federal government to keep the borders closed until neighbouring countries complied with ECOWAS protocols.

Recall that the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, retired Col. Hameed Ali, had on Wednesday revealed that the service had been making between N4.7bn and N5.8bn daily as a result of the ongoing partial border closure exercise by the Federal Government.

Oshiomhole, during a solidarity visit to the office of the Comptroller-General on Thursday in Abuja, said that the closure should be sustained for the economic growth of the country

He said the APC under his leadership was impressed and had resolved to identify with the NCS on the feat recorded so far.

“The state must have control over the economy and Nigeria is absolutely right in taking the decision having been victims of expired rice brought in through the porous borders.

READ ALSO: BORDER CLOSURE: We now rake in over N5bn daily— Hameed Ali

“It is a shame that after spending much to reposition agriculture, we still allow people to import expired rice into our country.

“We are lucky to have a president who told us to consume what we produce in the country in order to grow our economy.

“People are complaining that the prices of food commodities have gone up. Our farmers should make money from their sweat.

“Over the years, farmers got a good harvest, sometimes with right prices but smugglers often crash the prices,” he said.

The chairman urged Nigerians to go into farming and take advantage of the current good price of food produce.

He said the policy of the Buhari-led government would eradicate poverty and take prosperity to the rural people.

“NCS is a critical organisation to ensure we do not export prosperity abroad and import poverty to the country.

“Yes, Nigeria is a big brother to other African countries, but the big brother should not be poisoned through the importation of expired rice to the country.

“Buhari’s support base is the masses, the commoners and this policy is for them, that is why we are supporting it,” he added.

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