Dala Inland Dry Port And Its Impact On  Host Communities

Friday the 5th of  August 2022  will go down well in history as the day Dala Inland dry port was officially declared as port of origin and destination by the Federal government through the newly appointed minister of Transport Engineer Mu’azu Jaji  Sambo who was in Kano that fateful day to ensure that such a gigantuan project saw the light of the day since the idea was conceived in 2006  twenty years back.

The Minister informed the gathering that the declaration of the  Dry Port as port of origin and destination  in Kano  was part of the federal government’s commitment to decongest existing Sea Ports and extend Shipping business into the hinterland .

He said today the Dala dry port has became  fully certified and declared  as port of origin and destination by the federal government and it is empowered to operate shipping businesses including clearing and forwarding of Cargoes directly from anywhere in the world to Kano state.

According to him, the completion and subsequent declaration of Dala Inland Dry Port commenced in 2006 when the Federal government approved Six dry ports across the  Country to boost the nation’s revenue in non-oil sector.

Engr. Muazu stressed that the critical transport infrastructures build on Public Private Partnership  and transfer model are targeted to facilitate economic viability within the Country and enhanced tran-Africa free trade agreement with neighboring Countries

In his submission the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC), Mr. Emmanuel Jime declared the unveiling of the port as a means of doing business easily for Importers and Exporters in the hinterland.

” Nigeria’s territory is broad and if you can be able to move shipping into the hinterland you can imagine the level of economic activities you would attract. So, Dala Inland Dry port is a game changer that would transform trade and economy in Nigeria and other neighbouring Countries”.

In his remarks, the Execuitive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers Council Mr Emmanuel Jime said Inland dry ports are otherwise known as Inland Container Deports (ICD’s) or Containers Freight Stations (CFs). An ICD is equivalent of a Sea port located in the hinterland.. It receives containers by rail or road from the seaport for examination and clearance by Customs and other competent authorities.

Jime posited that the port  has all the Loading and Off-loading equipment needed to handle containers. The ICDs/CFSs are expected to achieve the following among others: Bring Shipping Services to the door step of Shippers across the nation.

Additionally Dry Ports  assist in decongesting the Seaports and make them more user friendly,  they Provides the impetus to revive and modernise the railway as a primary mode for long distance haulage. Dry ports also assists in the over-all costs of Cargo to hinterland locations as well as transit cargoes to landlocked Countries.

The Executive Secretary said the Council promoted and facilitated the establishment of Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in Nigeria on the basis of Public Private Partnership (PPP). Jime said there are Seven  approved locations for the Inland Container Depots (ICDs) / Container Freight Stations (CFSs), which were concessioned to private sector operators by the ICD Implementation Committee of the Federal Ministry of Transport as follows l Jauri, Maiduguri ICNL, Kaduna In addition to the seven gazetted ICDs,

In fact  there have been proposals from the private sector to establish ICDs at Dagbolu in Osun State, Lolo in Kebbi State, Onitsha in Anambra State and Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State. Among others.

Other Speakers such as the Kano state Acting Governor, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna who represented Governor Abdullahi Umar at the occasion reitrated the state government commitment  to provide enabling environment to sustain business opportunity and protect the critical transport infrastructure.

The acting governor maitained  that Kano state government had  invested over N2.5 billion on the dry port on construction of accessible road network, electricity and other basic infrastructure to attract investors.

He expressed satisfaction on the declaration  of  Dry Port as port of origin and destination which he said would generate job opportunities to the teaming youths in the state.

Here the question one need to ask is what did the people especially the locals in Zawaciki where the project was established stands to benefit from a dry  Port ? How   will the common man benefit from a port of origin and destination like the one in Zawaciki in Kumbotso local government area of Kano state ? What are the benefits and other challenges that the port will bring to the natives in Zawaciki and environs  who are predominantly  traders and farmers how will their lives be after commissioning of the project by President Muhammadu Buhari  in the next couple of Months ?

At the time of compiling this piece i realised that there was an astronomical rise in the Prices of Land and rents within Zawaciki and environs people are rushing to have a grabs of land to build their houses closer to the port. Like wise many workers want to relocate to the area for proximity sake.

These are some of the questions raised by the people and luckly enough the Managing Director Dala Inland Dry Port Alhaji Ahmed Rabiu has persistently being  giving a straight jacket answer to those posers  and had since allayed  the fears of the local residents who trooped to the site to witnessed the historic and memorable occasion while anxiously waiting to hear from the management how they stand to benefit from the port and how life will after the port comes into full operation

The Dala inland port  MD  Alhaji Ahmed Rabiu informed the local host community not to panic or entertain any fear as the port was aimed at boosting their morale by  bringing succor to them as most of them will be gainfully employed and another window open for them to buy and sale their goods and services at the port as well as send their Children to the School provided by the  authorities concerned .

He said by enrolling their Children into School to acquire sound basic primary and Secondary  education,  they would inturn gain employment at the Port to work as a means of earning a living and to stand firmly on  their feets  The MD said food and water vendors  are not left behind they are expected to catch in while  expoloiting huge business opportunities that abound at the port.