The Border Drill Operation Sector 3 has called on the media to support the Federal Government and enlighten the public on the importance of border closure to the nation and citizens.
Compt. Garba Mohammed, the Acting Coordinator of the Sector 3, made the appeal on Sunday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.
“The media has more work to do. They can sensitise members of the public through television, radio, newspaper publications, internet posts and social media.
“When you educate the people, sensitise and mobilise them, the public will be able to cooperate with security agencies to make sure we develop the country and our economy,” he said.
Mohammed said that the joint task force had gone for sensitisation programme in all the border communities in the North Central region.
The sector covers the Noth Central states of Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Niger.
“We appeal to the state governments to assist us in the sensitisation programme as well as radio, television stations and all other media outfits.
“We want the state governments to sensitise and sell the idea to the people, which they agreed, as they have seen the importance of the border closure on the state,” he said.
The acting coordinator recalled that sometimes in November 2019, the Federal Government sent a delegation, including four ministers, led by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to visit all the borders for sensitisation purpose.
“They went to the border communities and sensitise the people. Also recently, the same federal government sent a team from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustafa, for the same purpose,” he said.
Mohammed said that it is necessary to educate people, because there are other things that those people who had been engaging themselves in such illegality may not know.
“During our visits to some border communities, we discovered that many of the smugglers and members of the areas are ignorant of the act of importing foreign rice into Nigeria.
“Some of them were not aware that government has ordered for partial closure of border, while others do not know that there are other legitimate business to provide for their livelihood,” he said.
The acting coordinator said that apart from the revenue generated, the border closure has created opportunity for Nigerians to sell their locally produced goods and also export it freely.
He said that government had provided necessary steps in its drive to make sure that every individual contributes significantly to the economy.
“If you are producing local goods and wants to export the goods, government through Customs can give you certain policies for the produced goods.
“The only payment is 0.5 per cent for administrative charges and it is given to an agency that will clear the goods,” he said.
Mohammed said that the agricultural policy has also made it possible for a lot of people to go into farming, urging Nigerians to stop depending on oil alone, but explore other areas.
He explained that Nigeria had signed three agreements; first is with the World Trade Organisation, second with ECOWAS Trade for free movement of goods without any payment, but only ECOWAS products.
“The third agreement signed was of recent; with the African Continental Trade movement, towards trade facilitation.
“The essence of the agreement signed is for industrialisation; in the sense that locally made goods are free for exportation.
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“By the time industries are set up for local goods, people will be gainfully employed and will be able to have a means of livelihood and also contribute significantly to the economy of the nation,” he said.
Mohammed appealed to those who engage in illegality to desist, saying that people should rather engage in local productions.
He therefore urged the media to educate and mobilise Nigerians and the global community on the gains of the border drill policy.
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