After spending N2.3 billion to provide key infrastructure, the Government of Kano State has announced that the Dala Inland Dry Port project in the state is ready for take-off.
This disclosure was made by the Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, during his visit to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Headquarters in Lagos State.
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Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in his statement to newsmen during his visit stressed that the government of Kano state is ready for the takeoff of the Dala Inland Dry Port project.
He reiterated that the port was created to boost the Kano state’s economy and that of Nigeria in general. In line with this objective, the port will be serving the Kano State people and other states in the Northern part of Nigeria. In like manner, the port is expected to boost regional trades of other West African countries.
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The Governor’s visitation reflects the importance of the project. During the meeting, both parties conceded that establishing a destination dry port in Kano state is long overdue, due to the economic significance of the state, its strategic position, and the strategic link it will provide to trade development within the Northern region and other Western African countries.
What you should know
Dala Inland Dry Port project is a logistics park located at Zawachiki in Kumbotso LGA of Kano State. The port is expected to provide services from transportation, haulage, and warehousing to custom clearing services in the export processing zone.
However, the project is a collaboration between the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and Kano State Government, in a bid to kickstart the project and turn it into a destination port in the region.
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According to the Nigerian Shippers Council, the port upon completion should be able to accommodate up to the equivalent of 20,020ft units of capacity. However, after three years, the port is expected to be operating at 50,000ft equivalent unit.
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What they are saying
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council emphasized that the Dala Inland Dry Port operations will be a significant investment in driving the Modern dry port operation in Nigeria.
The council stated that the project is of economic significance given what the project seeks to deliver in terms of value to the economy, as it is expected to serve as an economic outlet for the industrial city of Kano and its environs, as well as serve landlocked countries.
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Also, the port is set to capitalize on the rail infrastructure of the country, especially the rail from Kano to Jibia in Katsina, and also the rail from Lagos to kano state, which will serve as the pedestal for the success of the operations of the Dry inland port.
The Governor of Kano State said it had invested N2.3 billion in infrastructure, in order to provide access road, electricity, water, and perimeter fence to the site. That said, the State is ready for the take-off of the project.