Jime: Dala Port Will Boost Trans-sahara Trade Developments, Decongest Seaports
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (BSC), Emmanuel Jime, has said that the Dala Inland Dry Port (IDP) in Kano will boost trans-sahara trade developments and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) .
Jime said this during an inspection of the dry port while participating in the 16th National Council on Transportation held in Kano last week.
He described the Dala Inland Dry Port as a pace-setter for other dry ports in the country.
In a statement by the Head of public Relations, Rakiya Zubairu, the Shippers’ Council boss made these declarations while responding to the welcome address of the Dala IDP Chairman, Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro, during the inspection of the on-going construction at the Dala Inland Dry Port site at Zawachiki in Kano State.
Jime said, “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”.
The NSC boss said 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, reduce the cost of doing business and provide an avenue for shippers in the hinterland and neighboring countries like Niger, Chad, and Benin to have their cargoes transported to their doorsteps”.
The Chairman/CEO of the Dala Inland Dry Port, Bawuro appreciated the Kano State Government and Nigerian Shippers’ Council for their roles in bringing the IDP project to actualization.
He further pleaded for the support of the Council to fast track the conferment of the dry port’s status as a Port of Origin and Port of Destination.
He assured that construction at the Dala IDP will be completed by the end of November 2021 and full operation will 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, Rotimi Amaechi.
According to the Chairman, the IDP will attract volumes of economic activities to the State, boost the infrastructural development, increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and also increase
employment opportunities.
It would be recalled that Amaechi had said the Federal Government will not commission the dry port until a primary school which offers free education is constructed.
He was quoted saying, “I want NSC to note this because that’s the agreement we had with the concessionaire. Shippers’ council can charge whatever you want to charge for the dry port but part of the profit that they make in the dry port will go to the upbringing of those children.”
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