Kano State Government Urged to Make Dala Inland Dry Port Operational
Oru Leonard
Barr. Hassan Bello, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has urged the Kano State Government to intensify efforts in making the Dala Inland Dry Port operational.
Barr. Bello said that with the population of the people of Kano, it was important that the government makes the Inland Dry Port operational for export activities and to revive the state’s economy.
“It is important that Kano State re-orients the idea and have the investors to make sure that it is done.
“Kano is a distribution centre. It is a capital of commerce not only to the Nigerian economy but even our neighbouring countries like Niger and Chad.
“Looking at the industries in Kano. This will have tremendous impact in reviving the economy because the dry port is a port of destination and origin.
“I don’t think there is any state that has a structure, agricultural system like Kano. .
“Irrigation and all but without the port, we can’t export all these things processed. Dry port is not just a port, it is also an industrial city where we have other elements; so we have to pull the resources of investors.
“I hope soon, we will have a very serious discussion with the Kano State Government, investors, logistics specialists to know how we can achieve it,’’ he said.
Bello also said the NSC had discovered a place along Zaria Road which the council hoped could be given for the establishment of the truck transit park.
“We are into promotion of truck transit park. This is also very important to restructure our transport infrastructure, so that there will be law and order to take trucks off the road,’’ he said.
Bello said that the problems affecting airfreight at the Kano airport were logistics and cost of export.
He said that the council would assist by opening a desk at the airport to interface with other agencies in handling cargoes.
The executive secretary said further that the council would fashion out a logistics chain that would ease trade.
He urged shippers to patronise the international airport in their export activities, noting that the Federal Government would come up with modalities to ensure easy way of doing business.
Dala Inland dry port in Zawachiki, Kano State was concessioned in 2003 and the concession agreement was signed with the Federal Government in 2006.
