The Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC), Wednesday, rallied round shippers across the North-east to boost exportation of Nigerian content through inland dry port project in the region.
The executive secretary and CEO of the council, Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah, said this in Bauchi during a meeting with stakeholders from the North east on regional integration for shipping activities.
He said implementation of the proposed inland dry ports in the North east would attract import and export from neighbouring African countries around the region which would further boost the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Akutah expressed satisfaction over the region’s input to exportation, which he said, is one of the present administration’s goals to boost the nation’s resources through blue-economy.
He said he has heard so much about the development of inland dry ports in the region, adding that Bauchi state has been working on the inland dry ports over the years.
“If I’m not mistaken, the approval was given during President Obasanjo’s presidency, and then it has been there.
“About 70% work done on the initial stages. We are gearing towards getting to the point where the implementation committee can be set up, and then we’ll begin to go into that phase. Borno state also is working towards developing an inland dry port. And the governor of the state graciously paid us a visit in our office in Lagos. One of about three governors that has ever visited the council in Lagos.
“The development of an inland dry port, I see competition rising up. Gombe state also talked about inland dry port. So, I see a competition swelling up here. Well, it is not the first time. We also have three inland dry ports in the North-west. We have in Kano, in Kaduna and in Katsina. Maybe we are going to repeat that in the North-east. Well, there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said.