Dry Ports Will Stimulate Nigerian Economy – Amaechi

BEVERLY HILLS, February 20, (THEWILL) – The Minister of Transporta­tion, Rotimi Amaechi has commended the Nigerian Shippers' Council, NSC, for promoting Dry Port and Truck Transit Park, TTP, in Kaduna State and across the country, expressing optimism that the project will provide stimulus to the economy of the State and the country at large.

Speaking on Friday at the collaborative seminar organised by the Nigerian Shippers' Council and Inland Container Nigeria Limited, ICNL, in Kaduna, Amaechi said the Dry Port and TTP projects were conceived as part of solution to the problem of hinterland shipers' inadequate access to seaports and frequent conges­tion.

The Minister, who observed that frequent con­gestion at seaports had led to loss, carnage, and accidents of cargo in transit on land mode, said: “It is pertinent to note that for this and similar projects to succeed, there must be an administrative as well as op­erational collaboration with the stakeholders.

“I am happy to observe that the Nigerian Shippers' Council is already collaborating with Nigerian Railway Cor­poration, Nigerian Ports Au­thority and the Nigerian Cus­toms Service to ensure that it succeeds,” he added.

Earlier in his speech, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Hassan Bello lauded the Kaduna State Government for its active role in the successful upgrading and gazetting of the bonded terminal to Inland Dry Port with full status of Port of Ori­gin and final destination.

The seminar was entitled, “The Emergence of Inland Dry Port in Promoting Inter­national Trade and Enhancing Hinterland Shipping”.