…as chemical union says closure is threatening their jobs

By Muhammad Kabir

While the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is boasting that it has made nothing less than N2.5 trillion as a result of the closure of borders, the Northern textiles traders are lamenting of incurring huge losses as a result of the policy.

The Northern textile traders, through their Spokesperson Alhaji Gambo Danpass, said their losses may hit N3 trillion soon if the closure persists. Dampass, in an interview with Sunday Telegraph, said the government should remember that the policy is not only about rice smugglers, it is impacting negatively on other genuine business.

He said: “For the past 15 years we have been engaged in genuine businesses of importing and exporting textile materials, due to the death of textile companies in Nigeria as a result of lack of power. We are not doing illegal business.”

Worried by the biting effect of the sudden closure of the borders, Dampass said: “We have over N3 trillion products trapped at the borders, both the ones that were supposed to come in and the ones for other African countries which have all been paid for. In no time, we will become debtors as the interests on the capital will continue to mount if the situation persists.”

The business tycoon said government should have consulted the stakeholders in the export and import business before unilaterally taking the action they did. “If this had been done, there would have a time frame by which the goods coming in going out would not have been trapped. This would have also earned government more revenue as duties would have been paid on them.

“The textile companies like the United Nigeria Textile Ltd (UNTL), Kaduna Textile Mills, Arewa Textile, Gaskiya Testile, Asaba Textile and Lagos Textiles, with several others, are no longer operating and their equipment has gone bad.

Where do we get the materials to sell if not imported? That is why government must be sensitive to our feeling,” he added. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col Hammed Ali (rtd) has said that the closure of the borders is in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians as rice farmers who previously lacked patronage are now making a fortune as millers are rushing to buy the rice off them and they are happy. Also, Ali said that in less than six months of closing the borders, Nigeria has made over N2.5 trillion from seized rice and other contrabands. But Dampass differs with the CG and said that millions of Northern business men would soon go bankrupt.

“From Kano to Gombe, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Kwara, Kaduna and Zamfara people have lost huge sums of money in the form of goods which they imported legally into the country but blocked from getting into the country. “Don’t misunderstand us, we are not against closing of the borders for security reasons, but government should give us a leverage of allowing us to bring what we imported and exports what is been purchased from us, then they can close the borders till eternity,” he explained. And in a related development, the National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) on Saturday said that the recent border closure by the Federal Government was threatening the jobs of its members.

Mr Goke Olatunji, NUCFRLANMPE’s President, who fielded questions from journalists after a council meeting in Lagos, said that chemical companies could no longer export goods to neighbouring countries. Olatunji said that chemical companies were threatening to downsize their workers as several goods had remained in the warehouses unsold as a result of the closure.

“Some of the member companies are already lamenting over the poor sale, because their products cannot be exported to neighbouring countries,” the union president said. He urged the government to put in place effective monitoring and control measures at the border to curb illicit importation and exportation of outlawed commodities. Olatunji said that government’s closure of the land borders without considering locally-produced products meant to be exported to neighbouring countries should be reviewed.

https://www.newtelegraphng.com/2019/11/border-closure-we-stand-to-lose-over-n3trn-northern-textile-traders/

Northerners are complaining too,

I once said that the closure of these borders is not a properly thought idea, but some ignorant entities were ranting up and down.

Rice is not the only commodity that passes through a border. There are a lot of genuine business that passes through the land border.

If you are importing or exporting to some of the west African countries, it's easier and more cost effective to use the land boarders than the sea port.

Imagine a man exporting textiles to Ghana from Kano, how possibly will he do that through the sea port in APAPA?

I am totally against rice smuggling but the government should have come up with smarter ideas to deal with this issue, and not shutting down the whole boarder.

Presently I have about two trailers of hides and skin from Mali parked at the boarder incurring bills, with high possibility of spoiling within the shortest period of time because of its present condition.

How do I import from Mali to Nigeria through the seaport?

It is only those that does not understand what happens at the land boarders that are jumping up and down.

Once again I reiterate my stance against smuggling rice through the boarders, but we have to be more tactical in handling certain issues as regards to our economy.


This boarder issue in Nigeria is like a fly perching on a man's scrotal sack, you have to apply wisdom in dealing with it, if not you may end up hurting yourself terribly bad if you hit it with great force.

“Don’t misunderstand us, we are not against closing of the borders for security reasons, but government should give us a leverage of allowing us to bring what we imported and exports what is been purchased from us, then they can close the borders till eternity,” he explained.

The Q3 GDP report will be spicy. It seems alot small business are coming out of woodwork to complain. They'll just have use seaports or airports even if it doesn't make sense. Im going guess GDP grew 1.5%.

PS: NBS never released 2018 crime statistics.

BUSINESSARENAA:
I once said that the closure of these borders is not a properly thought idea, but some ignorant entities were ranting up and down.

Rice is not the only commodity that passes through a border. There are a lot of genuine business that passes through the land border.

If you are importing or exporting to some of the west African countries, it's easier and more cost effective to use the land boarders than the sea port.

Imagine a man exporting textiles to Ghana from Kano, how possibly will he do that through the sea port in APAPA?

I am totally against rice smuggling but the government should have come up with smarter ideas to deal with this issue, and not shutting down the whole boarder.

Presently I have about two trailers of hides and skin from Mali parked at the boarder incurring bills, with high possibility of spoiling within the shortest period of time because of its present condition.

How do I import from Mali to Nigeria through the seaport?

It is only those that does not understand what happens at the land boarders that are jumping up and down.

Once again I reiterate my stance against smuggling rice through the boarders, but we have to be more tactical in handling certain issues as regards to our economy.


This boarder issue in Nigeria is like a fly perching on a man's scrotal sack, you have to apply wisdom in dealing with it, if not you may end up hurting yourself terribly bad if you hit it with great force.

The best opinion on This case so far on this thread.

whatever....the nigerian borders stay closed....

its not our job to save africa....

Vaxx2,this matter realy bother you....

i wouldnt give a fvck if ghana close their borders....

interesting....

fvck africa....

yeah,i said it....!!

f africa....!!

Nigerians will suffer more from the border closure. Someone with sense should tell Buhari the truth. Border closure is not all about rice importation.


What a country!!

BUSINESSARENAA:
I once said that the closure of these borders is not a properly thought idea, but some ignorant entities were ranting up and down.

Rice is not the only commodity that passes through a border. There are a lot of genuine business that passes through the land border.

If you are importing or exporting to some of the west African countries, it's easier and more cost effective to use the land boarders than the sea port.

Imagine a man exporting textiles to Ghana from Kano, how possibly will he do that through the sea port in APAPA?

I am totally against rice smuggling but the government should have come up with smarter ideas to deal with this issue, and not shutting down the whole boarder.

Presently I have about two trailers of hides and skin from Mali parked at the boarder incurring bills, with high possibility of spoiling within the shortest period of time because of its present condition.

How do I import from Mali to Nigeria through the seaport?

It is only those that does not understand what happens at the land boarders that are jumping up and down.

Once again I reiterate my stance against smuggling rice through the boarders, but we have to be more tactical in handling certain issues as regards to our economy.


This boarder issue in Nigeria is like a fly perching on a man's scrotal sack, you have to apply wisdom in dealing with it, if not you may end up hurting yourself terribly bad if you hit it with great force.

It is obvious you are a business man and business men like you know how this border thing is affecting you. All the ignorant people shouting border should remain closed do not have a single idea what people like you are going through.

BUSINESSARENAA:
I once said that the closure of these borders is not a properly thought idea, but some ignorant entities were ranting up and down.

Lol Nigeria prefers scortched earth policies. Nobody in government can even articulate what polices they Benin or Nigeria to implement to reopen borders. All they do is shout their goal of limiting smuggling. This border closure makes some Nigerians feel powerful so they'll gladly keep it closed indefinitely even if it hurts their wallet. Any Ghana border closure thread is proof.

America used a similar approach much more effectively. Nigeria should've took notes. Trump threatened sanctions against Mexico if they dont do more to curb illegal immigration. The US got Mexico to agree to more information sharing, station national guard at their southern border and keep asylum seekers in Mexico until their cases are resolved in the US.

keep the borders closed....!!

Beremx:
Nigerians will suffer more from the border closure. Someone with sense should tell Buhari the truth. Border closure is not all about rice importation.


What a country!!

if you are igbo,you would like this border closure....you have the ol nigerian economy only to your self....
you dont have to share nothing with anybody....!!

comman....you are igbo....you should be most happy about this border closure....

The truth is now coming out ..By the the time this is over Nigeria would have lost over 8 trillion Naira because shortsighted Buhari want local farmers to sell 500 thousand bags of rice Worth a paltry 6 billion reminiscent of how the same Buhari made the oil industry lose over 80 billion dollars because Buhari wanted to recover a paltry 35 million dollars from Tompolo ..Buhari is visionless and so myopic that anybody expecting positive results from him is like someone expecting Keke Napep to win a Formula one race .

justtoodark:
keep the borders closed....!!

Says a man that still depends on family member to survive day to day

Some people like illegality. If you wish to continue in business, import your materials through the proper channels.

Cc pocohantas,ornicus and all other myopic arm chair economists that won't keep shut on things they know nothing about.
Pressure is building,government will give in of course and boys are warming up.
N.a. so

3 trillion from sales of textile ? How much is Nigeria's budget for 2019 ? I don't believe this..

Buhari should just open these borders ... Things are not right in Nigeria at the moment .. how can i buy a made in Nigeria bag of white rice, and when i cook it, it becomes a black rice filled with stones? Diz country dont even know what she wants..

So they have been making that much. Hope they are paying Taxes?

The boarder closure should be reviewed

Buhari must not open the border...

Dampass....






What kind of a name is damp ass??


Meanwhile Buhari dey rush close border,..when Electricity for production no dey,..road and rail for transportation of raw materials and finished goods no dey,security to encourage investors no dey.. I think say dem dey finish primary sch before them dem enter secondary... Abi becos ur mates children dey secondary sch,u wan carry 5 yr old enter secondary... To ansa say ur pikin dey secondary

So you guys made such money. And yet still fight over crude and oil well.

Although something had to be done as per smuggling. Customs should have given notice of closure

3 Trillion? Odiegwu

Nigga please. 3 Trillion bawo.