The member representing the people of Udenu/Igboeze North federal Constituency, Engr Simon Atigwe, has thrown his weight behind the closing of Nigeria’s land boraders, urging the president to sustain the policy for the next two years.
A member of the PDP, Atigwe categorically stated that policy of border closure is the best of the policies initiated so far by president Mohamed Buhari.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Hon Atigwe stressed that the border closure will not only stem the tide of criminality, but will also go a long way in compelling Nigerians to go back to Agriculture which has been the mainstay of the country’s economy.
He said:
“Personally, I think that is the best decision so far taken by the President as far as the economy of Nigeria is concerned.
“That is because you do not just allow your country to be flooded with goods from other countries, making your own citizens very lazy; making them consumers only and not producers.
“I think it does not help anybody saying that borders should be opened to importers anyhow while smuggling goes on uncontrolled.
“Apart from making us lazy, we are still losing income; we are losing revenue because all these people smuggling goods through road borders are not paying anything.
“But if things should be coming in through the ports like the airports and the seaports, then, there will be scrutiny of all the things coming in.
“Apart from the revenue, you also safeguard your people because these smugglers bring in arms and ammunition and all sorts of dangerous weapons that bandits are using,” he said.