There are indications that all is set for business activities to commence in the Kaduna Inland Dry Port following the final inspection of the project by Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation on Tuesday, ahead of the commissioning of the dry port in a later date.
The inspection, which was conducted by the minister and Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna State governor, and Hassan Bello, executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), was prompted by the need for the Federal Government to ensure that all the needed facilities had been constructed by the Inland Containers Nigeria Limited (ICNL), the port concessionaire, as required before the commissioning of the port.
Though, the date for the commissioning is yet to be known, a source close to the Federal Ministry of Transport told BusinessDay that the dry port had commenced skeletal operations while the official commissioning would be done in two months time.
Amaechi expressed joy on the level of work and investment on the port site during the inspection of the project, describing it as another promise made by the transport ministry and Buhari administration that had been fulfilled.
Also speaking at the event, Nasir el-Rufai said Kaduna was Nigeria’s largest producer of maize, ginger and soya beans, and second in tomatoes, saying the dry port would therefore boost economic activities in the state and create jobs.
Hassan Bello, who commended the Kaduna State government for the commitment and support given to set up the dry port, said the port would allow importers and exporters in and around Northern Nigeria to import and export directly into and from Kaduna without having to travel to Lagos.
According to Bello, the Council is at its final discussion with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to move into full operations at the port site.
Bello added that launching Kaduna Port would create opportunities for importers and exporters, who usually travel to Lagos to do business, to save cost and time by doing same business with ease from Kaduna, and also help decongest Lagos ports.
The construction of the Kaduna Port was facilitated by the declaration of Kaduna as an inland Dry port of origin and destination on the 16th of May 2015, by former President Jonathan administration, meaning that is now recognised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) as a port to which goods came be consigned from, and from where goods can also be consigned to from another destination
Kaduna port has the capacity to handle a minimum of 29,000 twenty equivalent units of containers annually. The port targets transit cargo for neighbouring countries like Chad and Niger, whose owners would have opportunity to clear their cargo in Kaduna without additional cost of air ticket, accommodation and other issues that involves going to Lagos.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
