FG okays vehicle importation via land borders

The federal government may have lifted the ban on importation of vehicles through the land borders, it has been revealed.

The development is projected to revitalise economic activities within the corridor.

Daily Trust reports that the last administration had closed land borders between Nigeria and Cotonou, Benin Republic, and subsequently banned the importation of vehicles through that axis.

The Director of Road Transport in the Ministry of Transportation, Ibrahim Musa, yesterday, however, disclosed that the federal government has approved the re-opening of the Seme border for the importation of vehicles.

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He disclosed this at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting, organised between officials of Nigeria and Benin.

Musa said the development followed complaints by freight forwarders operating at the border.

The director, who spoke at the ECOWAS Monitoring Team’s visit to the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, said, “I was here with the former minister of state for transportation when the freight forwarders pleaded that the border should be reactivated for the free movement of goods and services.

 “The former minister made us prepare a memo to that effect. It was considered and sent to the government.”

Also speaking, the Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, Dera Nnadi, said the service has noticed a reduction in its revenue since the importation of vehicles was banned from the land borders