By Vera Chinonso Aliyu and Ada Obeleagu, YeyeNews.com, December 5, 2021
The Norwegian Prime Minister has begged President Buhari to lift the ban on the importation of okporoko (stockfish) as it is seriously affecting the economy of the country. YeyeNews.com gathered that Nigeria is the largest importer of Norwegian okporoko which is an important source of protein in many Nigerian homes. But the government of President Buhari has since placed the stockfish on the list of items blacklisted from accessing forex for importation.
The Norwegian PM pleaded with President Buhari to remove stockfish from the list during a phone conversation on Tuesday, a source in the presidential Villa disclosed to YeyeNews reporter. The source said that “the Norwegian PM literally cried while begging President Buhari to lift the ban on okporoko saying his country’s economy depends greatly on the exportation of the product to the Nigerian market. The PM expressed his worries about the declining fortune of his country’s economy as a result of the difficulties in exporting okporoko to Nigeria. The unemployment level in Norway has increased significantly and the country’s GDP has plunged since the restriction on okporoko importation”.
One of the aides of the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity told YeyeNews reporter that President Buhari is determined to show the world how important Nigeria is to their wellbeing. “Now Norway is crying just because of okporoko that the government stopped providing forex for importation. What will other nations do when the government finally bans every foreign goods? They would prostrate to beg us to buy their products. That’s the lesson the president wants to teach other nations that feels Nigeria is not important. They will be shocked by next list of banned items that will be released”, the aide stated.
Meanwhile, the ambassador of Norway to Nigeria has also appealed to the president to help the Norwegian economy by lifting the ban on okporoko importation, promising his country is ready to fulfill any condition stipulated by Nigeria.
