The Federal Government has finally gazetted the Kaduna Inland Container Depot (ICD), in what the Nigerian Shippers’ Council describes as a breakthrough in a long quest to decongest Lagos ports and also bring shipping services to the hinterland.
Speaking exclusively with one of our correspondents last week in Lagos, the Council’s Executive Secretary; Mr Hassan Bello explained that, by the development, the Kaduna ICD has now become a port of origin and port of destination.
The Federal Government has finally gazetted the Kaduna Inland Container Depot (ICD), in what the Nigerian Shippers’ Council describes as a breakthrough in a long quest to decongest Lagos ports and also bring shipping services to the hinterland.
Speaking exclusively with one of our correspondents last week in Lagos, the Council’s Executive Secretary; Mr Hassan Bello explained that, by the development, the Kaduna ICD has now become a port of origin and port of destination.
“It is now the first dry port in Nigeria, it has been approved by the Federal Government and gazetted as port of destination and port of origin”, he disclosed, even as he added that with the development, full complements of a port will now be at the Kaduna ICD.
According to him, it means that the cargo will have a through Bill of Laden, for instance – Liverpool-Kaduna. “If a ship comes here, it will drop its cargoes, and they will be transited to Kaduna, where customs examinations and other statutory pre-release procedures will now be carried out”.
He also confirmed that very soon the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will meet with the Kaduna state government to sign the papers and get started.
He confirmed that prior to the gazette, the Kaduna state government had provided all the common-user facilities, provided electricity and administrative offices for all the government agencies that will work there, as is it with conventional sea port.
He said the Kaduna ICD story has cascaded down already with the springing up of ancillary businesses around the location of the ICD.
‘I tell you, already you have vulcanizes, food vendors, and mechanics workshops springing up”, he added.
Bello however assured that the feat will also be replicated at all the other ICDs in Kano, Aba, Ibadan, Jos and Funtua.
He however confirmed that the Shippers Council will soon meet with the concessionaires of the other ICDs, so as to galvanize them to actualise the dream of getting more ports of origin and destination in Nigeria.
Shipping Position Daily confirms that prior to the gazette, the Kaduna state government has committed about N195 million for the provision of infrastructure at the depot.
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