Federal Government Set To Reopen Closed Borders

Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed has stated that the Federal Government will consider reopening of the nation’s land borders.

The Minister revealed this on Wednesday, whilst speaking at Abuja saying that the presidential committee set up on the border closure had recommended reopening.

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The land borders which have remained closed since last August due to increase in illegal importation of drugs, weapons and agricultural products into Nigeria from neighbouring West African countries is said to have undergone gain assessment by the committee before being recommended to the president for reopening.

Ahmed who spoke extensively said the reports will be submitted once signed by the presidential committee members after they all recommended reopening of the nation’s borders. She however, failed to touch on the date for report submission and explained that the date for reopening will be decident by the president.

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In a full statement given by the Finance Minister, she said;

“We have made an assessment, the president set up a committee to carry out an assessment and all the members of the committee recommended to the president that it is time to open the borders,”

“The objectives have been met in the sense that we have been able to work with our partners in a tripartite committee and reinforce the sanctity of the commitment that we made to one another so each side has learnt its lesson.

“Nigeria has been affected as well as our partners in terms of businesses so we will be expecting that the border will reopen very soon. The date will be decided by the president.”