Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on Monday, listed conditions that must be met by member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), for Nigeria to consider reopening of her borders.
Among others, the conditions include that there should be no modification to the packaging of goods coming from outside the ECOWAS region and imported into an ECOWAS member state destined for Nigeria.
In addition to the original packaging being maintained, goods must be escorted directly from the port of member states to the designated entry point on Nigerian borders and presented to the Nigeria Customs with the packaging intact.
Onyeama stated these during an Inter-Ministerial meeting held ahead of the Tripartite Anti-Smuggling Committee meeting to be held between Nigeria, Benin and Niger Republics.
To forestall dumping of goods in Nigeria, the conditions also include that goods produced in ECOWAS member states must be those goods produced in the majority in those countries.
He stressed that the country would be insisting on compliance with the ECOWAS Rules of Origin of promotion of trade among countries of the sub-region such that goods coming from outside ECOWAS must show value addition of over 30 per cent to an ECOWAS country.
Onyeama said a meeting would be hosted in Abuja where the Memorandum of Understanding would be sealed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and counterparts from neighbouring states.
“We have had a meeting under the directive of Mr President regarding the border measures that have been taken, the border drills that have been undertaken by Nigeria. And of course, repercussions of those and the desire of Mr President that the issues that are being addressed that caused the drill to take place on our borders should be addressed as quickly as possible.
“So, in this context, within the next two weeks, a tripartite committee is to be convened and hosted here in Nigeria comprising a delegation, a committee of Benin Republic, from Niger, and from Nigeria.
“So, each country will come with the heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance, the Customs, Immigration and NIA, the security segment. So, this meeting will take place within the next two weeks.”
“These conditions or conditionalities are as follows: That it is an absolute requirement of the Government of Nigeria that any imports coming through the land borders, our land borders, when those imports are transit in goods, that is to say when they are coming outside the ECOWAS region and imported into an ECOWAS member state, that those goods should retain their original packaging.
“There should be no modification whatsoever to the packaging on those goods imported into an ECOWAS member state destined for Nigeria. So, the original packaging and they must be escorted from the port directly to the entry point, designated entry point on Nigerian borders, so presented to Nigeria Customs, with the packaging intact and those goods escorted. This is an absolute precondition that will not be compromised.
“So, any transit in goods coming to this country than those transit countries, ECOWAS member states, must ensure that.”
