Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has bemoaned the government of Benin Republic for its notoriety regarding bilateral relationship between the two countries.
President Obasanjo made this known on Tuesday, in Addis Ababa while speaking on the margins of Policy Dialogue of African Business Associations on Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreements.
Obasanjo, who chaired the CoDA Board of Directors, disclosed that Nigeria had for long been enduring the practice which undermined its economic well being, but the neighbouring country is not willing to yield.
He said, “It happened when I was President of Nigeria. I called the then Benin President, Nicephore Dieudonne Soglo, to let us meet at any of our border posts over the issue.
"We eventually met at Badagry (in Nigeria), where we agreed that Nigerian Customs would be stationed in Benin.
“They (the Nigerian Customs) are still there. We don’t have issues with goods manufactured in Benin they are welcome.
"But as long as Benin allows the dumping of goods, there will always be a problem with Nigeria,” Obasanjo said.
He noted that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was not created to allow one country to turn itself to a dumping ground.
The two-day policy dialogue was co-organized by the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK). Other co-organisers are The AfroChampion Initiative and the Coalition of Dialogue Africa (CoDA).
President Obasanjo made this known on Tuesday, in Addis Ababa while speaking on the margins of Policy Dialogue of African Business Associations on Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreements.
Obasanjo, who chaired the CoDA Board of Directors, disclosed that Nigeria had for long been enduring the practice which undermined its economic well being, but the neighbouring country is not willing to yield.
He said, “It happened when I was President of Nigeria. I called the then Benin President, Nicephore Dieudonne Soglo, to let us meet at any of our border posts over the issue.
"We eventually met at Badagry (in Nigeria), where we agreed that Nigerian Customs would be stationed in Benin.
“They (the Nigerian Customs) are still there. We don’t have issues with goods manufactured in Benin they are welcome.
"But as long as Benin allows the dumping of goods, there will always be a problem with Nigeria,” Obasanjo said.
He noted that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was not created to allow one country to turn itself to a dumping ground.
The two-day policy dialogue was co-organized by the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK). Other co-organisers are The AfroChampion Initiative and the Coalition of Dialogue Africa (CoDA).
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