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Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and his Ghanaian counterpart, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, yesterday, met in Abuja to deliberate on the closure of the Nigeria-Benin border.
This is even as the Republic of Ghana lamented the losses suffered by Ghanaian exporters occasioned by the closure of Nigeria’s borders.
Also present at the meeting were the Ghanaian Minister of Trade, Hon. Alan Kyerematen, and the Ghanaian Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Iva Denoo, who accompanied Botchwey to the closed-door meeting with Onyeama.
The meeting, according to Kimiebi Ebienfa, of the Crises Monitoring and Public Communications Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specifically discussed the collateral damage suffered by Ghanaian exporters and resolved to address the issue.
The Federal Government had, in an effort to curb smuggling associated with the nation’s borders, closed its land borders to all movement of goods indefinitely.
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), said in Abuja that government banned all goods from being exported or imported through the nation’s land borders, adding that the decision was to ensure total control of the borders.
The meeting between Ghana and Nigeria is coming on the heels of lamentations by neighbouring countries over the adverse effect of the closure on their economies.
“The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, received in audience, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Integration of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, in his office on a courtesy visit.
“The Ghanian foreign minister was accompanied by the Minister of Trade, Hon. Alan Kyerematen and the Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Iva Denoo.
“The meeting discussed the closure of the Nigeria/Benin border and the collateral damage suffered by Ghanaian exporters and resolved to address the issue,” said.
The NCS boss had averred that the closure of the borders has seen positive results so far.
