The Federal Government has been advised to extend its waivers to more firms to allow them to import and export items despite border closure.
The Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Tolu Odebiyi, gave the advice while speaking to journalists in Abuja in Wednesday.
Odebiyi frowned at the perceived special treatment accorded some firms to import and export items despite the border closure.
He advised the Federal Government to develop a comprehensive policy based on objective criteria to enable other deserving businesses to apply for similar waivers.
He specifically described as unfair, the recent exemption by presidential fiat, some firms by the Federal Government from the ongoing border closure arrangement.
He expressed his objection to what he termed ‘selective exemption’ of a certain company from border closure when thousands of small businesses in his constituency had gone into extinction because of the Federal Government imposed land border policy.
The senator said he come from an area where the continuous border closure remained the hardest hit.
He said it was most unfair and morally wrong to select only one company to monopolise the business while others were left to rue their losses as the closure has drastically affected their incomes.
He said, “It is in fact a breach of the law, as contained in Chapter 4 Section 42 (1) of the Constitution.
“The section states that any law that gives preferential treatment to a particular individual, company or group is a breach of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“If you are going to relax the policy, then it should be across the board. We have companies in Agbara in Ogun State that are adversely affected and nothing is being done to help them.
“I think it is not proper to give exemption to one company to the detriment of others. What will happen to the other companies most affected?
“The duty of the government is to discourage monopoly and create an enabling environment for all genuine business owners to strive so that they can create enough wealth and reduce unemployment.
“A lot of our people are struggling economically. It is a challenge we all need to find a better way of overcoming,’ he added.
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