Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul has announced that the government will station security forces in all border towns nationwide, with a particular focus on the northern regions, to curb the smuggling of grains into neighbouring countries.
This initiative is a key component of the government’s recent ban on grain exports, which has been implemented to prevent potential food shortages due to prolonged drought conditions.
Nitiwul emphasised that the deployment is intended to safeguard the country’s food security and protect the welfare of its citizens.
“We will act well. We are deploying security personnel] across the borders, particularly in the northern part. We are also [deploying] to the east and the south. And so we will ask citizens to support the security agencies.
“If, for some reason, there is some unapproved route or approved route or somebody sees something that is going on that is not nice, please let us know so that we can act appropriately.
It is for the good of all of us that we should not make our citizens suffer.”