Minister of Transportation Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi reveals that, the establishment of Dala Inland Dry Port, in Kano, was an effort of the federal government that was aimed at bringing shipping and related services to the doorstep of consumers, particularly those located in the hinterland.
A signed statement by Abba Anwar
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kano State, said the minister made the revelation during commissioning of the North-West Zonal Directorate Office Complex of the Nigerian Shippers Council, in Kano, Friday, adding that, “I therefore implore the good people of Kano and its environs to put to optimal and beneficial use, the Dala Inland Dry Port, when fully completed.”
As governor Ganduje disclosed that, “Kano has been dreaming for the Dry Port for the past 50 years. And it has become a reality during the administration of our President Muhammadu Buhari and when you are the Minister for Transportation, Rt Hon Rotimi Ameachi.”
The governor thanked President Buhari for the “Good and kind gesture for making our state, Kano, the real commercial nerve centre for the North and some West African countries.”
To also keep the good thing progressing, according to the governor the state government has constructed 3 to 4 kilometres of road down to the Dry Port, put in place a perimeter fencing and provide constant water and electricity supply to the Port.
He said in appreciation of what the federal government has done “The Kano state government reciprocated by diligently carrying out its assigned responsibilities towards the actualisation of the Inland Dry Port, by constructing access road to the Dry Port and other basic infrastructure. As required by the federal government Guidelines on Inland Dry Ports Development.”
Describing the state as a commercial nerve centre, the Minister said “Kano has been well known as the centre of commerce since the advent of Trans-Saharan trade that spanned the desert of North Africa down to the West African coastal region.
The location of Kano as an industrial hub makes the city, the commercial centre linking most parts of Northern Nigeria by air and land. The vast agricultural dams in the state support the growth of agricultural crops for both domestic and international markets.”
Assuring further that, the vision of the federal government was to re-engineer the state economy by providing modern technology driven critical transport infrastructure that would strengthen the nation’s logistic value chain and also support the development of the non- oil sector.”
On the Shippers Council Zonal office, the governor commended that, “The initiative of the Council in citing its North West Zonal Office in Kano couldn’t have been more well thought out, considering your corporate statutory mandate as the Port economic regulator…the status of Kano as the Northern Regional Commercial Hub with the largest concentration of importers and exporters in the region.”
The Minister earlier paid a courtesy call to the governor and the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero. Afterward he proceeded with his entourage and the governor to the site of the Dry Port located at Zawachiki, a few kilometres away from the city, for inspection to see for himself the level of progress so far made.
