Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Public Affairs, Ajuri Ngelale, has come under attack on social media over his comments on border closure.
Mr Ngelale had tweeted in the heat of discussions about the closure of borders by the Federal Government that food prices are hiked by market saturation caused by smuggled imported goods.
“For our friends who question the merit of border closure: we’re growing food at a historic rate but food prices are hiked by market saturation via smuggled food imports.
“Below, we see that daily petrol consumption is cut by over 10m litres since border closure,” he wrote.
However, the minister of finance/budget /national planning, Zainab Ahmed, told journalists on Wednesday that inflation rose to 11.61 per cent in October due to hikes in food prices arising from border closure.
“Now headline inflation is at about 11:61 per cent as of the end of October. The slight increase in inflation between September and October is due to food inflation.
And part of the reason is the border closure, but the border closure is very short and temporary and the increase is just about two basis point,” she said.
Nigerians on Twitter have begun attacking Ngelale for his analysis, saying it counters the minister’s comments.
@YoungOtutu; “FG closes border. Emefiele: Border closure will eliminate Boko Haram ~ Vanguard Oshiomole: Border closure necessary for Nigeria’s growth ~ Legit Ajuri Ngelale: Border closure good. Reason for lower price FG: border closure causing rising inflation __ The Joke is on Buharist”
@Tutsy22; “The importation of food from foreign countries was causing inflation” – Ajuri Ngelale October 2019 🙄 Ajurian Economist.
@NekkaSmith; “Accidental Half Caste Ajuri we are waiting on your misleading Economics 101 class to tell us about the conceptualization of the Border closure by Hameed Ali.
I sweaaarugaad , Many Buharists will not make heaven.”
