Repair Works At The Ijora Bridge Will Continue – Buhari

Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigeria is `too big and too diverse to blindly sign agreements’ without understanding the consequences of such actions.

According to him, Nigeria is still assessing the impact of this agreement on its backward integration and import substitution policies.

He said: “Specifically, the provisions on rules of origin and transhipment were matters of concern to us.

“Already, some of the treaties we are party to have been significantly abused resulting in massive smuggling which has crippled many of our local industries and destroyed millions of jobs.

“To avoid these past mistakes, we conducted vast consultations across the country in which the LCCI participated. The responses have been mixed.’’

On the gridlock at Apapa, Lagos, the president acknowledged that the situation was a major concern to all.

“The work on Wharf road is in progress. We will continue to do our best to expedite the repair works at the Ijora Bridge without compromising quality.

“We have also directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation to use their infrastructure in the ports to support the evacuation efforts, thereby further decongesting the area.

“Be assured that the completion of these projects is a major priority of this administration,’’ he said.