…Charges Nigerian Shippers’ Council to complete pending ones

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last Thursday commissioned the Funtua Inland Dry Port located in Funtua, Katsina State after some years of bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Explaining the immense economic benefits of the new Inland Dry Port, President Tinubu noted that it would grant importers and exporters located within inland cities, as well as neighbouring hinterland countries such as Niger, Chad, Northern Cameroon, and Central Africa, access to shipping and port services without the need to physically visit seaports.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, President Tinubu lauded the State Government, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), management of Funtua Inland Dry Port and other stakeholders for the pivotal role played that made the project a reality.

“This port grants importers and exporters located within our inland cities, as well as neighbouring hinterland countries such as Niger, Chad, Northern Cameroon, and Central Africa, access to shipping and port services without the need to physically visit seaports.

“Moreover, the Funtua Inland Dry Port offers importers the convenience of processing cargo clearance and receiving raw materials and machinery closer to their places of business. For exporters, it provides essential facilities for processing, packaging, consolidating, and forwarding exports worldwide.

“This infrastructure is integral to our Administration’s commitment to promoting export business across Nigeria, thereby achieving trade balance and creating employment opportunities for our youths,” he stated.”

The President called on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to ensure that the other designated dry port locations are completed .

The Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola said the dry port project was designed to decongest the seaports and bring shipping services to the hinterlands.

The minister said that the dry port project’s initiative will promote the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and create an enabling environment for businesses to strive in the Northern regions.

In his good will message, the Governor of Katsina State, Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, said his administration is determined to make the Katsina State an investment haven, noting that the dry port project is a transport infrastructure project which is seamless and will facilitate the movement of goods.

He called on the agencies that would be working at the Funtua Inland Dry Port to exhibit understanding and professionalism in their operations.

The Chairman, Funtua Inland Dry Port, Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Abdul Mutallab, expressed profound appreciation to the dignitaries present at the official commissioning of the Funtua Inland Dry Port project.

According to him, in 2006 Nigerian Shippers’ Council identified Funtua as a viable place for the establishment of dry port project in Katsina State through Build Own Operate and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement and appreciated those behind the success of the dry port project in the state.

In his vote of thanks, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Pius Akutah, said that the port will contribute immensely to the economic growth of the state and the country at large.

He pointed out that the Council will continue to support the operations of the Funtua Inland Dry Port and also gave the assistance of the staff to attend to their complaints and help in resolving them.