Kaduna, – The Minister of Transport, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, on Friday urged maritime stakeholders and trading associations to take the best advantage of facilities at the Inland Container Depots (ICDs) when fully operational.
Amaechi made the plea at a one-day sensitisation programme titled “Towards the Successful Take-Off of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port’’, held in Kaduna.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dry ports are otherwise known as Inland Container Depots.
NAN reports that the programme which was jointly organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), and Kaduna Inland Container Nigeria Ltd (ICNL) was mean to showcase the potential of the inland dry port.
“The Federal Executive Council on 15, March, 2006, approved the development of six inland Container Deport (ICD) projects on a Public Private Partnership basis under the Build Own Operate and Transport (BOOT) Agreement,’’ the minister said.
He said that NSC was mandated to supervise the six gazetted facilities.
The minister said that the Kaduna Inland Container Nigeria Ltd (ICNL) depot upgrading was approved in April 2011by the former Minister of transport, Sen. Idris Umar at the request of the Kaduna State Government.
Amaechi said that the establishment of dry ports and truck transit park was promoted by the NSC as part of the solution to the problems of hinterland shippers who had inadequate access to the seaports.
He also talked about frequent congestion which had led to loss of cargoes in transit, carnage and accidents on land.
“The dry port has the potential benefits of not only reducing transport costs but also bringing shipping to the door steps of the shippers.
“A dry port will also generate employment opportunities for the teeming people of Kaduna State,’’ NAN quotes Amaechi as saying.
He said that there was need for administrative and operational collaboration with the stakeholders, adding that the NSC had already been collaborating with Nigeria Railway Corporation, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service.
Amaechi said that the nation’s neighbouring countries like Niger and Chad Republic would derive immense benefits from the ICD regime.
He said the ICD project would foster the integration of the hinterland into the international multi-modal transport system as part of global logistic transport chain.
The minister said that the Federal Government had officially gazetted the dry port with Officlal Gazette No. 60 Vol. 102 dated May 26, 2015 and declared Kaduna Dry Port as a Port of Origin and Final Destination for imports and exports.
Amaechi said that the Kaduna dry port was the first dry port in Nigeria to be accorded the status of a full-fledged port.
He commended the NSC for representing the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the Guarantor of these laudable projects.
The minister expressed the the Federal Government’s commitment to the development and full implementation of dry ports and truck transit parks across the country.
Amaechi, however, commended the efforts of the Kaduna State Government in supporting the NSC by providing the enabling environment.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, said the Federal Government’s Inland Dry Port (IDP) project was conceived as part of government’s Reform Programme in the transport sector.
Bello said that project was designed to decongest the seaports and bring shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterlands.
He said that the Federal Executive Council granted approval for the establishment of Inland Dry Ports in six locations such as Aba, Ibadan, Jos, Kano, Funtua and Maiduguri to build on Public Private Partnership (PPP) using BOOT model for a period ranging from 25-30years.
Bello said that the establishment of Inland dry ports would boost export activities through production of cash crops thereby revitalising the Agricultural sector and consequently reduced the over-dependence on oil.
“The dry port will help to contribute to the reduction of transportation and transaction costs and will also attract various international and regional development services.
“The dry port will also improve Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state government.
“The NSC had worked assiduously to actualise the Kaduna project,’’ the executive secretary said.
He said that the NSC had closely supervised the upgrading works undertaken by the ICNL until the facility attained the required standard.
Bello said it attained the standard recommended by the Technical Committee for the upgrade of Kaduna Bonded Terminal, constituted by Federal Ministry of Transport.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Barnabas Bala, said that the commencement of the dry port was significant to the state.
El-Rufai said that this would replace the falling oil revenue and the increasing unemployment.
He described the dry port as an important component of the international logistic chain which would also determine the competitiveness of a nation in the international market.
“In the APC Kaduna State Manifesto titled “The Restoration Programme’’, Kaduna State Government promises to leverage on its proximity to Abuja to become a major transportation hub for access to Northern Nigeria’s population and markets.
“The operation of Inland dry port here in Kaduna will go a long way in ensuring that our vision becomes a reality,’’ NAN quotes El-Rufai as saying.
He said that the Kaduna dry port had been gazetted by the Federal Government to operate, adding that the project would be followed by the official commissioning of facilities for commencement of full operations.
Also speaking, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hammed Ali, who was represented by Comptroller Sanusi Gambo, Customs Zone B’’Coodinator, said that the Customs Service was thrilled by the dignified consideration accorded to them.
Ali said that the Customs were trade facilitators to the legitimate traders and frowned at any form of illicit act that contravened the law.
“It is imperative to state that the Nigeria Customs Service is an agency of the Federal Government saddled with the responsibility of implementing government’s fiscal policies and laws.
“As contained in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C45 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“Customs see it as an obligation to contribute significantly to the cardinal responsibilities of revenue collection and suppression of smuggling,’’ Ali said.
He said that the NCS would pledge its support in this collaborative effort by providing the needed information and appropriate services in good time to the traders.
Ali urged traders to access Trade Hub Portal, www.nigeriatradehub.gov.ng and www.customs.gov.ng which provided detailed information to traders on how best to go about the business of importation and exportation.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Inland Container Nigeria Ltd., Mr Temitope Borishade, said that the company was currently meeting with international communities, shipping companies, Customs, NSC and other security agencies for actualisation and consolidate of the mission.
Borishade said that the dry port had the capacity to handle 29,000 containers per annum, adding that it was still growing as the nation’s newly-designated port which would fulfil the purpose of decongesting the sea ports.
He said that exportable goods could also be consolidated from the Kaduna dry port to anywhere in the world which would consequently facilitate trade and investments.
Borishade said that the dry port would be operated as a joint venture with the Kaduna State Government.
He said that as the operator of the dry port, ICNL was now better equipped to bring shipping services to the hinterland and land-locked neighbouring countries.
Borishade said that establishment of global supply chain and the strategy of Asia and Pacific countries focusing on the export-oriented paradigm had been a powerful force shaping contemporary freight distribution.
He, however, said that once the maritime network and port terminal activities were better integrated, the inland transport would become a fundamental component of this strategy. (NAN)
