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The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has entered into partnership with the Oyo State Government to establish a $200million (N72billion) modern dry port, as well as a truck transit park in the state, in conjunction with some Chinese investors.
A Memorandum of Understanding to develop the Ibadan dry port project was signed few days ago.
While, the proposed park alone would gulp N4.8billion, through the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP).
When completed, the park would have hotels, motels, resident doctors, restaurants, shopping mall, commercial banks, among other facilities for the convenience of transporters.
The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the council, Hassan Bello who disclosed this during a visit the Governor Abiola Ajimobi, in Ibadan said because of the strategic importance of Ibadan, we have had inquiries from a serious Chinese investor for the project.
Bello, therefore, solicited the release of 60,000 hectares for the dry port and another 35,000 hectares along the Oyo-Ibadan road for the proposed park, which, he said, would improve the economic development of the state and the nation in general.
He said: “We are here because Oyo State is critical to development in transportation in Nigeria. Since 2006 the Federal Government had taken a decision to establish inland port in the six geo-political zones of the country, of which Oyo State is important. We have others in Abia, Jos, Kano, Maiduguri and Funtua.
“What we are looking for from the state government is to have, along the railway line that is currently ongoing, a 60,000 hectares of land to develop a modern dry port, while the transport transit park will require 35,000 hectares of land.”
Enumerating the advantages of the modern dry port project, he said it would provide job opportunity for 10,000 people, adding that the truck transits park would equally generate 25,000 jobs.
Bello said that the project was heavily dependent on the ongoing Lagos-Kano rail project, which would decongest the heavy traffic on road transportation of goods from the Lagos port to the rest of the country.
Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan
