By Tola Adenubi | Lagos
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the Dala Inland Dryport, in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State.
The inauguration of the Port formed part of President Buhari’s visit to Kano State, recently.
The President, who arrived at 10:32 a.m., was received by the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje and the Minister of Transportation, Mr Mu’azu Sambo, Managing Director of the Dala inland Dryport, Ahmad Rabiu, among others.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Emmanuel Jime; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Magdalene Ajani and the former Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Hassan Bello.
The Inland Dry Port project was conceived as part of the Federal Government’s Ports Reform Programme designed to decongest the seaports, while also taking shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterland.
Minister of Transportation, Sambo, recalled that in March 2006 the Federal Executive Council had granted approval for the establishment of the critical transport infrastructure at chosen locations across the country.
Sambo said, “Dala Inland Dry Port at Zawachiki in Kano State was among the six Inland Dry Ports approved and the concession went to Messrs Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited.”
He stated that the dry port had been designated a Customs port with all the prerequisites of an international port including Customs, Immigration, Port Health Officials and Government security agencies.
The minister thanked Governor Ganduje for his investments on infrastructural development particularly, road networks, among others, which had made the Dala Inland Dry Port a reality.
According to him, the port is a port of origin and final destination.
The minister called on national and international maritime practitioners, shippers, shipping companies, landlocked countries and port users to take full advantage of the facility for import and export of their cargoes.
