Nigeria, Benin plans new commission to solve cross-border challenges

By Fredrick Wright

Worried by the lingering challenges affecting cross-border trade between the two countries, the Nigeria and Republic of Benin private sector is making arrangements to establish Nigeria-Benin Commission to correct the anormalies.

SlyeNews reports that several factors are affecting smooth regional trade among West-African nation’s, as curruption, poor government policies and border management distrupts smooth movement of goods across borders.

These factors are contributing high cost of goods due to transportation hiccups, and multiple taxes and charges on the route.

Executive Chairman, West African Association for Cross-Border Trade and Agro-Forestry-Pastoral, Fishery Products and Food (WACTAF), Alhaji Nassiru Alasoadua Salami, at a consultative meeting with stakeholders on the establishment of the Nigeria- Benin Commission, held in Badagry, Lagos yesterday, said the Nigeria-Benin Commission is long overdue.

 Alasoadura said the commission stands a chance to change the narrative for the Nigeria-Benin borders, noting that the current situation at the borders are not palatable.

“Today, the situation at our borders and the surrounding communities is not palatable. Although, we can fold our hands and continue to talk about what the Government has not done, we have decided to be forward thinking and take steps that will change the narrative.

” If Nigeria must succeed, then we must minimize finger pointing and take proactive steps, it is true that we have the rights to ask questions and place demands on the government that we elected, however, if we must progress, we must look away from some of our rights to secure a better future for our children yet unborn. 

 “This was not the Nigeria I was born into, that Nigeria was better than this, we must reach conclusions that place a burden on the private sector and not solely on the government” he said.

Alasoadura urged the stakeholders to collaborate to sanitise the borders, saying, “we jointly have the capacity and network to make the Nigeria- Benin Commission a success.”

By Fredrick Wright

Worried by the lingering challenges affecting cross-border trade between the two countries, the Nigeria and Republic of Benin private sector is making arrangements to establish Nigeria-Benin Commission to correct the anormalies.

SlyeNews reports that several factors are affecting smooth regional trade among West-African nation’s, as curruption, poor government policies and border management distrupts smooth movement of goods across borders.

These factors are contributing high cost of goods due to transportation hiccups, and multiple taxes and charges on the route.

Executive Chairman, West African Association for Cross-Border Trade and Agro-Forestry-Pastoral, Fishery Products and Food (WACTAF), Alhaji Nassiru Alasoadua Salami, at a consultative meeting with stakeholders on the establishment of the Nigeria- Benin Commission, held in Badagry, Lagos yesterday, said the Nigeria-Benin Commission is long overdue.

 Alasoadura said the commission stands a chance to change the narrative for the Nigeria-Benin borders, noting that the current situation at the borders are not palatable.

“Today, the situation at our borders and the surrounding communities is not palatable. Although, we can fold our hands and continue to talk about what the Government has not done, we have decided to be forward thinking and take steps that will change the narrative.

” If Nigeria must succeed, then we must minimize finger pointing and take proactive steps, it is true that we have the rights to ask questions and place demands on the government that we elected, however, if we must progress, we must look away from some of our rights to secure a better future for our children yet unborn. 

 “This was not the Nigeria I was born into, that Nigeria was better than this, we must reach conclusions that place a burden on the private sector and not solely on the government” he said.

Alasoadura urged the stakeholders to collaborate to sanitise the borders, saying, “we jointly have the capacity and network to make the Nigeria- Benin Commission a success.”