The Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria, MAN,on Thursday, applaud the Federal Government’s decision to immediately reopen major land borders in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had, on December 16, approved the reopening of four major land borders.
The borders were Seme border in the South-West; Ilela border, North-West; Maitagari border, North-West and Mfun border in the South-South.
Reacting to the decision in an interview with NAN in Calabar, Usen Umor, Treasurer of MAN for Cross River and Akwa Ibom, said it was a good development, stressing that it would make businesses to thrive.
Umor, who is also the General Manager of Royal Farms in Cross River, maintained that with the reopening of the borders, goods would now move freely, especially for the manufacturers exporting through the West African coast.
“This means that businesses will be fine, as people will move in their goods and sell, and also produce and sell by having access to the markets that they used to patronise.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic, shutting down the borders did not help us as products that should have been moved across the borders to boost the nation’s economy and put money in the hands of manufacturers were halted.
“So, in the first place, I don’t see the need for border closure because the expected benefits have not been so manifest,” Umor said.
NAN reports that although the president approved the immediate reopening of four of the nation’s major land borders, the ban on the importation of some items like rice, poultry and others was not lifted.