By Oluwatoyin Adegoke
Business activities are yet to reach the peak around Idi-roko border in Ogun State since the pronouncement of border opening by the Federal government.
Business owners and residents of the border communities have attributed the slow pace of operations to the persisting ban on the trade of some commodities usually in high demand around the borderlines.
Apart from travellers and investors in international trade operating through the trade facilitation process of the Nigeria Customs Service, artisans and small scale business men and women operating around the border areas said they were not sure that the government had opened the borders.
The low tempo of commercial activities was evident in Ajegunle, Ipokia, Ijofin, Mahun, Ilara, and other communities where many shops and business outlets hitherto involved in the sales of imported items, popularly called “Tokunbo” were out of operations.
Those who spoke with Radio Nigeria, including a vulcanizer and tyre merchant, Mr Jimoh Ige maintained that although, the borders were said to be opened, the ban on importation of Tokunbo items, especially rice, had crippled their activities.
Another resident, Mr. Dare Olaiwin also said the ban on movement of petroleum products within twenty kilometers radius to the borderlines should be reviewed as it had greatly hindered business activities in the area.
Mr Olaiwin expressed optimism that making the fuel available to residents of border areas would enable them to engage in fruitful ventures and contribute to the process of national development.
Other contributors, who noted the sharp decline in the tempo of cross border trading, urged the government to empower genuine small scale business owners to invest in legitimate trades across the borders.
In a reaction, the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, who paid a working visit to the Idiroko border charged the customs operatives to strengthen measures towards promoting legitimate businesses between Nigeria and the neighbouring countries.
The Controller General of Customs solicited the support of the people and other relevant agencies in the efforts to rid the borders of smuggling, human trafficking and drug trafficking among other vices against national peace economic stability.
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