Former President John Dramani Mahama has appealed to the government of Nigeria to open its Seme-Krake, Igolo and Idiroko borders it unilaterally closed since August to some West African Countries.  According to Mr Mahama “the total closure of, especially, the Benin border is having a significant toll on many small and medium businesses especially in Togo, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire that rely on this inter-country trade.” Addressing a lecture sponsored by the Realnews Magazine in  Lagos-Nigeria,  Mr Mahama said the development is worrying for the growth of free trade in the Economic Community of West African State, sub-region. “One can understand the harmful effects of unbridled smuggling goods on the growth of local production. But it is problematic that sub-regional economic activity and trade should suffer because of domestic institutional weaknesses. Nigeria must invest in strengthening its institutions and systems that are responsible for preventing the importation of illegal or prohibited goods,” he added.  There is more in the following video.