Daily Trust

Reopen Kwara, Niger borders now, KWACCIMA tells FG

- From Mumini AbdulKaree­m, Ilorin By Faruk Shuaibu

The Kwara State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agricultur­e (KWACCIMA) has appealed to the federal government to reopen the Chikanda and Barbara borders located along Kwara and Niger states to promote trade along the corridors.

Speaking with journalist­s on Tuesday on the sideline of the planned 62nd AGM of the National Associatio­n of Chambers of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agricultur­e (NACCIMA) scheduled to hold in Ilorin, the KWACCIMA President, Olalekan Ayodimeji, said traders and people in the affected communitie­s have been seriously affected by the closure.

He added that their means

Seplat Energy PLC has disclosed plans to plant 1m trees annually for five years to mitigate the impact of the use of hydrocarbo­ns on the environmen­t.

The CEO of Seplat, Mr Roger Brown, said the move is to enable energy companies to continue to deliver affordable and reliable energy that drives social and economic prosperity while considerin­g the drive for energy transition through sustainabl­e and environmen­tally responsibl­e means.

Speaking at the launch of Tree 4 Life Initiative yesterday in Abuja, Mr Brown said it is working to decarbonis­e its upstream operations while developing its renewable energy capability by engaging women, youth and communitie­s for sustainabl­e food production and a sustainabl­e environmen­t through tree of livelihood are daily being impacted negatively by the border closure.

The KWACCIMA president said: “We were told that the border was closed because of insecurity and that arms and ammunition were being pushed into Nigeria through our borders.

“The federal government also said PMS is being exported at cheaper cost across Nigeria border to sell at higher cost outside the country, thereby jeopardisi­ng the nation’s economy.”

He further argued that the government is in the best position to analyse the success of the closures because it has affected trans-border businesses on those corridors, which are mainly informal.

 ?? ?? From left: Chairman Seplat Energy Chief Ambrose Ojiakor; Minister of
State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; Chairman Board of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Senator Margaret Okadigbo, at Seplat’s Tree4Life launch, at Yar’adua Centre, Abuja yesterday
From left: Chairman Seplat Energy Chief Ambrose Ojiakor; Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; Chairman Board of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Senator Margaret Okadigbo, at Seplat’s Tree4Life launch, at Yar’adua Centre, Abuja yesterday

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