Minister of transportation, Muazu Jaji Sambo, has declared that the federal government decided to establish six Inland Dry Ports in parts of the country to serve as feeders to the nation’s sea ports.
Muazu made the declaration yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital while speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ sensitization programme and launching of the operational manual for Inland Dry Ports, organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
The minister, who was represented by Mr Mathew Vincent, therefore encouraged shipping companies to invest in the dry ports in order to increase their revenue and the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Earlier in his address, NSC executive secretary, Hon Emmanuel Jime, said the inland dry ports, located in Abia, Oyo, Plateau, Katsina, Borno and Kano states, was conceived as part of federal government’s reform programme in the transport sector.
Jime, who was represented by the director, Inland Transport Services, Mr Philip Eduwa, said the reform in the transport sector was aimed at promoting efficient transportation, efficiency at the ports as well as to engender trade facilitation.
He stated that the strategic importance of producing the operational manual, which articulates the step-by-step procedures for receiving, storing, handling and delivery of cargoes as well as highlighting the operations, responsibilities of agencies and timelines for discharging such tasks, was second to none.
The NSC boss said: “This operational manual, which was first launched in Kano on July 21, 2022 and Lagos on August 2, 2022, respectively, provides detailed processes and procedures for main activities of the Inland Dry Ports. The operators and regulators are compelled to abide with the operational processes as contained in the manual.”
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