NIGERIA LAND BORDER CLOSURE (NLBC): MATTERS ARISING
Dumping Dumping is an unfair trade practice because it undercuts domestic producers, makes them uncompetitive and forces them out of business. It also adds to the unemployment figure which is currently at 23.1% (NBS) and the miserable index at 33.5%. No nation will open its border to all kinds of trade especially when there is a capacity to produce them within its geographical boundary.
In my write up on a similar topic, I criticised the government on why importation of used car through the land borders could not be banned absolutely because there is no substitute. However, in this present case, there appears to be some alternatives as substitutes to our fixation for importation of Asian and other country’s rice with low nutritional value in some cases according to experts at the detriment of our health, local farmers and the loss of revenue to the government.
Our Neighbours Benin Republic, Togo, Niger to mention but a few have not done enough to act as a trusted and reliable neighbours as they looked the other way when illegal trade that are inimical to Nigeria takes place across their borders. These countries must wake up because the party is over by engaging in a fair trade with Nigeria.