The Dala Inland Dry Port (IDP) will boost trans-Sahara trade developments and indeed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Emmanuel Jime has said.
A statement issued on Saturday by Mrs Rakiya Dhikru-Yagboyaju, Head, Public Relations of NSC, explained that the Executive Secretary made the submissions in Kano while participating in the 16th National Council on Transportation.
He also declared the Dala inland dry port as a pacesetter for other dry ports in the country.
The shippers’ council boss made these declarations while responding to the Dala IDP Chairman’s welcome address, at an inspection of ongoing construction at the Dala inland dry port site at Zawachiki in Kano State.
“Kano leads the way as far as commercial activities are concerned, as all the states in the Northern part of Nigeria regard Kano as the commercial hub,” he said.
The NSC boss noted that the support and partnership of the Kano state government with regard to the development of the Dala IDP, should be emulated by other state governments.
According to him, the Dala IDP when completed will serve to decongest the seaports and reduce the cost of doing business.
“It will provide an avenue for shippers in the hinterland and neighboring countries like Niger, Chad, and Benin to have their cargoes transported to their doorsteps,” he said.
The Chairman/CEO of the Dala inland dry port, Mr Abubakar Bawuro, appreciated the Kano state government and NSC for their roles in bringing the IDP project to actualization.
He further pleaded for the support of the council to fast-track conferment of the dry port status as a Port of Origin and Port of Destination.
He assured that construction at the Dala IDP would be completed by the end of November, and full operation would commence.
“As part of its continuous Corporate Social Responsibility to the community, the company is constructing a school on the premises for children of the underserved; a project undertaken at the insistence of the Transport Minister, Mr Rotimi Amaechi.
“The IDP will attract volumes of economic activities to the state, boost the infrastructural development, increase the Internally Generated Revenue and also increase employment opportunities,” he said.
The five-day National Council on Transportation is a triennial event organised by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and held from Sept. 6 to 10.
In attendance were the Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries of the ministries of transport in the 36 states of the federation, multilateral organisations as well as stakeholders in the transport sector.
