The Federal Government has expressed optimism that importers and exporters will benefit immensely from the Inland Dry Ports being established in various parts of the country.
The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, said this in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike, on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Sambo, the Inland Dry Ports Projects will help to decongest the seaports and take shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterland.
The Minister called on national and international maritime practitioners, shippers, shipping companies, landlocked countries and port users to take full advantage of the Inland Dry Ports for imports and exports.
He said the Inland Dry Port initiative was conceived as part of Federal Government’s ports reform programme and would be sited at chosen locations across the country.
He said the six Inland Dry Ports approved by the Federal Executive Council would be concessioned to private sector operators on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) with the strategic framework to build, own, operate and then transfer to the government.
The Minister commended President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for its effort at developing critical infrastructure in the country, especially in the transportation sector.
He said such effort would stand as a testimony for future generations.
On the Dala Inland Dry Port at Zawachiki in Kano State, Sambo said that the State was chosen for the project because of its position as the commercial capital of Northern Nigeria.
He said, ”The Dala Inland Dry Port, concessioned to Messrs Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited, will be a Customs port in accordance with the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004
”And it shall have all the pre-requisites of an international port,”
