The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC); Mr Hassan Bello yesterday urged stakeholders to work together for effective operations of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port (KIDP).
Bello made the plea at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos on the benefits of Inland Dry Ports.
He said that such synergy would complement the Federal Government’s efforts on the Ease of Doing Business.
According to Bello, “if we do not work together, there is no how we can achieve the benefits of the IDP”.
Speaking further, he noted that, “Over 10 years ago, we have been on the issue of the dry ports, including railways.
“All efforts actually come to reality with the support of President Muhammadu Buhari who told the private sector to synergise to achieve effective dry port in the country.
“We have been working with operators and the idea is to establish modern inland dry ports and the ease of doing business must be instituted in the ports,’’ he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Kaduna Inland Day Port; Mr. Tope Borishade pleaded for stakeholders’ cooperation for him to achieve his mandate as a dry port operator.
Borishade said that the KIDP would not compete with sea ports, but will collaborate to improve the ease of doing business.
He said that Nigeria was already loosing cargo to neighbouring countries and promised that KIDP would improve government’s revenue by attracting more cargo into the country.
"Over the past decades there have been ICNL, Kaduna state government and the Nigerian Shippers Council and the stakeholders have been working in developing this dry port. We can only take it forward with our support and cooperation. So after this I believe we are going to have feedback from stakeholders so that we can make this work for everybody. We are not in competition with the seaports", he said.
On his part, the Port Manager, ICNL; Mr Rotimi Rahimi, urged the Shippers’ Council to advise the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to deploy officers to the dry ports.
He said that Customs should secure the recognition of dry ports by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through inclusion in the list of ports of origin and destination on the Form ‘M’ e-platform.
“The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) should develop invoice rating models for seaports and terminals as well as shipping companies that would encourage use of dry ports.
“NPA should also engage seaport concessionaires to provide separate access for both inward and outward movement of dry port cargo.
“Shipping companies should operate through Bill of Lading from ports of Origin to ports of Destination to process shipping documents for import and export release at the dry ports.
“Shipping companies must have their presence in Kaduna to provide shipping services to shippers, while the terminal operators should allow shipping companies to move cargo from the ports without hindrance.
“The concessionaires should allow 30-day rent passage for dry port cargo and should also grant priority terminal access for trucks hauling dry port cargo,’’ Rahimi said.
Also speaking, Mr Freeborn Okhiria, the Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), said that all efforts must be geared toward improving cargo delivery.
Okhiria urged Nigerian stakeholders to enjoy the benefits of the dry port.
He expressed the commitment of the NRC to devote 24-hour cargo delivery service.
Okhiria said that the corporation would purchase container wagons before June to facilitate the smooth operations of the IDP, adding that the NRC would ensure that “exporters enjoy the services they pay for’’.
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