By David Lawani, Abuja
The Governor of Kano state, Dr Abdulahi Umar Ganduje has disclosed that the unveiling of the Logo of Dala Dry Inland Port is a reflection of the city as the economic nerve centre of West Africa and Nigeria.
Ganduje made this remark when he was speaking as a guest speaker during the event at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
He submitted that for 20 years, the Dala Inland Dry Port was a mere initiative but took the combined decision of the President and other stakeholders in the Port management, especially the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Ganduje reiterated that the cost and hardship associated with the movement of goods and services will become a thing of the past as a new economic hub has been created with the birthing of the Dry Port.
He said “Kano is not a centre of commerce by accident. It has been home to great traders and industrialists and today has given Nigeria two great enviable sons, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Abdussamad Isyaku Rabiu. Kano is today the most populous and yet most peaceful state, it is home to the most hospitable people. It has great economic potential. It accounts for at least 70% of none oil exports in the Country.
“We in Kano realized the humongous opportunities being presented by the efforts of the Government of President Muhammad Buhari and resolved to take appropriate steps to fully key into them. That is the singular reason why we moved in to actualize the 20,000 TEU Dala Inland Dry Port Project which had been in the pipeline for twenty years before we came into office.
“We realized that the Kano Exporters which includes exporters from our neighbouring states and neighbouring countries notably, Niger and Chad Republics and Northern Cameroon suffer untold hardship and losses in the process of receiving their imports or forwarding their exports.
” The hardship coupled with the exorbitant transport costs have pushed so many very committed businesses men out of business. It is sad to note and to agree with the statement by one of the eminent sons of Kano, Alhaji Abdussamad Isyaku Rabiu, when he said, “it is cheaper to transport a container from China to Lagos than to transport the same container from Lagos to Kano.
“We appreciate the Rail revolution project which shall change the dynamics and also particularly, the Dala Inland Dry Port which shall be the game-changer. With a functional Rail line from Lagos or other seaports to Kano inland port and from Kano inland port to the Niger Republic etc.
“The imports for the zone shall be at competitive prices while there will be rapid exponential continuing growth of none oil exports which shall greatly grow our national GDP. The economic benefit of Dala Inland Dry Port cannot, therefore, be overemphasized.
” That is why when my administration received a follow-up letter from the FGN Coordinating Agency for the Inland Port requesting us to provide critical infrastructure to the land for the project, we did not hesitate in doing so. We set out aggressively to ascertain first the commitment of the Concessionaires to the project and the status of the project.
“We were convinced that the concessionaires were committed and the major hindrance to the project actualization were two, namely, servicing the land with critical infrastructure and the required declaration of the Port as a Port of Origin and Destination.
Prioritise your health, Experts advise women
“We subsequently learnt that the Honourable Minister had instructed that the Port must be built up to 60% completion before the Minister will make the declaration.
“We first serviced the land and then accompanied them on meetings with the Minister, the coordinating Agency, the Nigerian Shippers Council and also led them on a visit to SIFAX Group which has subsequently become their partner”, he said.
“We are delighted to acknowledge that, that the project as we speak has attained over ninety per cent completion and the owners and their partners appear poised to commence business. We seek your kindness to grant the declaration of the 20,000 TEU Dala Inland Dry Port, Zawachiki, Kumbotso Local Government, Kano as “a Port of Origin and Destination”.
” I have also been told, a gazette of the declaration is required by UNCTAD and FIIATA to enable operations to commence to and from the facility.”
