A Non-Governmental Organization; the Federation of Informal Workers Organizations of Nigeria (FIWON), has called on the federal government to as matter of urgency lift the ban on the sale of petroleum products in border communities, saying that the ban has aggravated poverty and misery among residents in the border communities.

The body equally advocated for the lift of “indiscriminate embargoes” on goods imported into the country, saying that this will stabilize prices at all levels comparable to those in neighbouring countries.

The FIWON Secretary-General, Gbenga Komolafe, who made the call at a press conference in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said this could be achieved through harmonization of tariffs in the sub-region, and not the unilateral restrictions placed on goods by individual countries.

Komolafe said a survey conducted by FIWON indicated that residents of border communities in the last two years were faced with harsh economic realities, as many of them who are gainfully employed have lost their jobs, with large numbers of Small and Medium Enterprises folding up.

He added that efforts by the government to restrict the importation of certain food products, as well as, curbing of smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries have yielded little success, in the last two years.

He said: “It is clear from this modest survey that the attempt by the Nigerian government to restrict the importation of certain food products as well as curb the smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries has met with very limited success while the trade restrictions have resulted in unmitigated disaster for millions of poor people especially women, youths, and other vulnerable population cohorts whose livelihoods have been blocked.

Komolafe, also charged Nigeria authorities to strengthen its institutions to be more efficient in facilitating mutual trade with the rest of the world, stressing that this would involve tackling corruption and the weak enforcement of trade protocols by customs officials, deployment of technology and overhauling of ports infrastructure to improve case of trading.

He noted that an integrated framework will enable coordination with neighbours and ensure better functioning of land borders.

He said, West African countries require a regional industrial policy that builds on the comparative advantages of individual countries to boost industrial production and stimulate intra-regional trade, positing that this will aid West African countries to grow together.

The FIWON Secretary-General noted that there is a need for urgent demilitarization of the border communities so that people living in those areas can get back their normal life, while economic activities, especially trade with other Nigerian communities outside the 20 kilometres enclave, were dealing in petroleum products is currently forbidden, as well as communities across the border can be restored.

His word, “What is needed is ensuring that extant trade protocols, especially within the ECOWAS framework, be respected and enforced while one-stop collection regime should be introduced rather than the unlimited unreceipted extortion which merely ends up in the pockets of security personnel operating in these communities”.

He called for immediate recall of the vast array of security agencies whose personnel inflict unnecessary harassment and extortion on poor working people.

“It is enough for the Customs service to have its checkpoints limited to few entry points, which are all well known and make cross border traders pay statutory duties and levies within the context of ECOWAS trade protocols. The primitive arms and truncheon wielding, home and market raiding style of the Nigeria Customs Service must stop”, Komolafe said.

“Technology deployment; such as scanners at necessary entry points at the border to detect banned goods, especially illegal arms and ammunition should be enforced”.

While lamenting that despite harsh policing of poor working people in the border communities, Komolafe noted that the ‘big people’ are still smuggling in banned goods, including arms and ammunition, while petroleum products are still shipped out, with the aid of the Customs and other security personnel.