Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has raised the concern that Nigerians may be in for economic strangulation if the Federal Government continues its hard stance on the closure of Nigeria’s land borders with the neighbouring countries.
The Federal Government ordered the borders shut since August 20, 2019, claiming it was a measure to check influx of struggled goods and insecurity. But NECA believes this is doing more harm to the economy than the anticipated good.
“Government has continued to generate reactions from Stakeholders as the effects of the closure is negatively impacting the generality of Nigerians.
“As the government showcases the gains of the border closure, the same cannot be said of the ordinary Nigerian on the streets in view of skyrocketing prices of food,” said Timothy Olawale, the Director General of NECA, who believed that the border closure is inflicting more pain on the people the that government is suppose to protect and cater to.
Olawale noted that “following weeks of border closure, one had expected that the prices of food stuff like rice for instance would crash due to its local production. A bag of rice that goes for N14,000.00 before border closure now sells for N26,000.00. Turkey and Chicken are now so prohibitive that other options like beef and goat meat are no longer preferred alternatives as they have also joined the league of food out of the reach of the masses. This underscores the fact that Nigeria is not self-sufficient in food production as wrongly assumed by government”.
According to the NECA DG, it is no longer a secret that workers take home pay can no longer take them beyond the bus stop. The masses are totally at the receiving end of the policy of government that was meant to protect them. As the masses are burdened, so also are legitimate businesses.
He noted that “businesses, especially in the hospitality sector have not fared well as the cost of stocking food is gradually becoming unbearable. As food prices increases, there is consequential increase in cost of food per plate served clients. This invariably affects patronage. As the businesses struggle to stay afloat, the natural implication is business closure and further loss of jobs”.
Olawale opined that all these were the direct results of the inefficiency of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), which necessitated the closure of the borders in the first instance.
He lamented that Nigerians were choking and gradually being emasculated by the current economic strangulation and only the timely interventions of government would save the situation.
Olawale said that where government remained adamant, Nigerians “should tighten their belts and prepare for real hard times as government’s interest and economic agenda is basically, as it seems, maximisation of revenue at the expense of citizens’ welfare.
JOSHUA BASSEY
