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FG plans to open Seme border
Freight forwarders operating at Seme Border recently disclosed that they sent a letter to the Federal Government, urging them to reopen the border for vehicle importation.
Freight forwarders operating at Seme Border recently disclosed that they sent a letter to the Federal Government, urging them to reopen the border for vehicle importation. This request was brought up during a meeting between officials of Nigeria and Benin, which was organized by the Economic Community of West African States. The Director of Road Transport at the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Ibrahim Musa, shared this information while addressing the issue at Seme.
According to Musa, the freight forwarders had previously appealed to the former Minister of State for Transportation during his visit to the border, requesting the reactivation of the border for the smooth movement of goods and services. As a result, a memo was prepared and sent to the Federal Government based on this request. The memo was subsequently approved by the Federal Executive Council. However, the final decision on reopening the border was left to the new government.
In addition to the demands made by the freight forwarders, the Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme Command, Dera Nnadi, expressed concern about the decline in revenue since the ban on vehicle importation through land borders. He mentioned that the former Minister of Transportation had promised to take these concerns, along with others raised by stakeholders, to the Federal Executive Council. One of the key issues discussed was the full reopening of the Seme border.
It was emphasized that the completion of the highway from Lagos to the Seme Border is crucial for promoting trade and investment along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor. This corridor plays a significant role in fostering trade, cultural diversity, and peace among West African countries. The importance of maintaining relationships and peace in the region was acknowledged, and gratitude was expressed to ECOWAS for their contribution to the growth of business in the corridor. The ongoing rehabilitation of the highway by the Federal Ministry of Transportation was also appreciated, with the expectation that it would further enhance trade.