‘No commercial harassment under the AfCFTA’

Economic news for Wednesday 23 December 2020

Source: Look at the harbor

23/12/2020

Former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Carlos Ahenkorah criticized Nigeria’s “intimidating attitude” which led to the closure of its land borders from August last year to December of last year. this year, and indicated that such incidents would not be tolerated within the framework of African continental free trade. Zone regime (ZLECAf).

Mr Ahenkorah expressed empathy with Nigeria over its concern to protect its market and its people, but disapproved of the option of closing its borders to trade.

“I still question the reason Nigeria is closing its borders,” he said during a live interactive program, adding that “they see themselves as big brothers in West Africa and can decide to do what they want to do. ”

According to him, Nigeria closed its borders to show strength as a regional superpower, adding that this was made possible by some shortcomings in Ecowas’ Trade Liberalization Program (ETLS).

“The ECOWAS protocols were formulated in a gentleman’s agreement by the heads of state, and there was no dispute resolution mechanism within this framework; but ZLECAf corrected this error, ”he said.

The former minister’s views were supported by the Executive Director of the Federation of Private Enterprises (PEF), Nana Osei Bonsu, who believed that the main conflict resolution mechanisms built into the AfCFTA protocols will reduce this trade injustice. .

“There are mechanisms that will allow companies to report criminal behavior. In ECOWAS, Nigeria is the biggest player, so they intimidate; but in the continental free market, we have other big competitive players who have been participating in the global village for a while and you cannot intimidate them, ”he said, citing countries like Tunisia, Morocco , Egypt, South Africa and Kenya.

Nigeria closed its land borders in August 2019, arguing that it was a safeguard measure aimed at eliminating an alarming wave of contraband that was undermining both local production capacity and domestic revenue mobilization.

The decision, however, had a negative impact on traders in the country, who are now demanding compensation from the government, according to Dr Ken Ukaoha, president of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANT).

“We even sent a note about it. We are asking for compensation, especially for those who carry out legitimate business activities across borders, ”Dr Ukaoha said of the program.