The Nigerian Shippers Council has inaugurated a 9-man committee for the actualization of Inland Dry Port (IDP) projects across the country.
Executive Secretary of the Council; Mr Hassan Bello during the inauguration at the Council’s headquarters in Lagos last week called on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to partner with the Council for a successful take-off of the Inland Dry Ports (IDP) project in the country.
He said the Technical Committee was set up to ensure collaboration between the Council and Customs for the successful take off of the dry ports projects in the country.
Bello said it was better to get it right from the beginning so that mistakes recorded in the nation’s seaports in the past would not be repeated at the dry ports.
Describing all ports as simply Customs ports, Bello said the Council has been part of the dry ports concept since 2006, adding that the participation of Customs in the Technical Committee cannot be overemphasized.
Bello who was full of praises for the past and present and past Comptroller Generals Customs for their support and encouragement in the IDP projects, assured customs of the Council’s resolve to work towards trade facilitation.
He disclosed that the Kaduna Inland Dry Port would soon commence full operations and about to obtain approval and recognition from the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and solicited for the co-operation of Customs Service for joint review of the initial joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier developed by both organizations for the smooth operations of the IDP.
Earlier, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service; Col Hammed Ali (rtd) who was represented by the Apapa Area Controller Mr. Musa Jubrin thanked the Shippers Council for initiating the dry port concept.
Ali said the dry port project will go a long way in contributing to economic diversification and pledged the support of customs towards the actualization of the IDP projects.
The Customs boss also stated that the concept was in line with global best practices of attracting investors by making port operations businesses attractive, competitive and easy.
Discussion about this post